Mr C. Bradlaugh, M P., and the Socialists.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 201, 30 April 1887, Page 8

Mr C. Bradlaugh, M P., and the Socialists.

On Sunday morning, before a large audience in the Hall of Science, London, Mr Bradlaugh, concluding a course of lectuies on " Socialism : Its Dangers and its Fallacies/ said that, although as a rule he was not in the habit of attending churches on Sundays or at any other times (a laugh), he must express his strong disapproval of the con duet of certain so-called Socialists who on recent Sunday mornings disturbed congregations in some metropolitan churches, notably in Bermondsey-square,\vhere either before or after the church parade a public meeting was held, at which one of the speakers, named Morris, was reported to have used these words :—" The working classes of this country will never improve their position until they resort to physical force ; the pistols and revolvers of Sir Charles Warren and the police must be met by Socialistic revolvers and a resort to the use of chemicals more destructive in their effects on life and property than dynamite." Mr Bradlaugh said he had no hesitation in denouncing as most wicked and cowardly the men who spoke such dangerous and dastardly language as this to semi-starving and desperate men, and no amount of suffering by the unemployed would justify the resort to such base and diabolical means as the use of weapons and chemicals for the destruction of human life and property. Neither were they justified in disturbing congregations in the churches or other places of worship on Sunday mornings or at any other time — they should have some consideration for the feelings of other people, and if they thought proper to call attention to their grievances by such a curious method, they ought to conduct themselves properly and decorously whilst they were in these places of worship, which probably many of them were unaccustomed to attend. He denied the contention of the Socialists that there was a combination of men of capital to oppress the labourers and workers, although he would be the last to maintain that possessors of capital had never oppressed the labourer. The present unhappy relation between labour and capital had grown up through a long course of ages in the struggle for existence, and was not the doings of any man or set of men, capitalists or otherwise. It was a system of development, and not of fabrication. ■

Colonial FruiT in London.- The Committee of Experts appointed by thePrinc* of Wales to report on the fruit imported from the colonies, complain of tho. careless packing, which is tspeoially noticeable in the shipment of grapes. They point out that good ventilation Is essential to the successful packing and carriage of fruit. They also advise that a company should be formed in England to work the business. New South Wales, Victoria, and Adelaide are looked upon as the most suitable for the production of raisins and currants, both # of whioh compare favourably with those im» ported. An analysis which was mad? of Australian wines was of a favourable oti»r« ftoter. '