JOHN BURNS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1965, 5 November 1889, Page 4

JOHN BURNS.

Of John Burns, the leader of , the dock strikers, a writer in the Pall Mall Gazette says •“ The leader of the dock strikers is an enormously powerful fellow, and he has told me that it is his exceptional physical gifts which have enabled him to ‘ begin his day’s work at 3 in the morning and continue it till close on midnight. This is actually what;he is doing now as general of the strikers. ‘ Jack ’is the hem ideal ©f the best type of British working man; ;big ia build, independent in character, hearty in manner, and intelligent in mind. His fists are as bard as his head, and his voice is as strong as his opinions. He has often been before the ‘ beaks ’ for defending the right ot meeting—on Clapham common, on Wendsworth common, and in Trafalgar Square. Ho picked up his education by burning oil after. 10 hours in a factory; he is an engineer by trade, and iron is a hard master. He polled 600 votes at Nottingham Parliameauary election in 1885, ran George Shiptou close for the presidency in the late International Congress, and is now on the council of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. He stood for Battersea on the full Socialist ticket, and was returned as a member of the county council at the head of the poll. He is a Scot by extraction, has a charming wife, is a non smoker, and a total abstainer. ” In one of his speeches he said he wished every one could see the thousands of dock labourers at the dock gates in the morning with their emaciated forms and leaden, sunken eyes, some of them huddling together lest they might fall from the weakness that came of starvation. Anyone with a heart who saw them would say, as he now said and swore, by the recollection of their misery in the past, that he would never rest or stop one moment until their demands were conceded. (Lend cheers). It was said that the agitation was not spontaneous, hut had been fanned into flame by professional agitators. This he vehemently denied, and said it was only necessary to go down to the docks and witness the suffering there to know that this agitation was real and spontaneous. Some of the papers suggested that the leaders should be arrested, and if this was not so serious a proposal it would becontemptibly ridiculous and comical. Por|thoß© leaders, though, he could only say that if hell itself were at their feet they would jump into it rather than desert the dockers, . . . . . . . There had been several intermediaries in the strike. One of the best was,Cardinal Manning. (Cheers.) To see the venerable grand old Cardinal : full of high tastes and of the best culture, a man of strong nervous itemperameat, a man full of genuine i pity and sympathy, going on for 80 years of age, going to the rat Norwood (the chairman of the Dock Companies) was a shocking sight indeed. (Loud /cheers.) Let them just picture one of the true types, one of the best types of tha Englishman, degrading his past his character, by trying ito negotiate with a man who had lost all sense of decency, all regard for manly and gentlemanly conduct.” ,

COMMERCIAL. OHBIBTOHUROH CORN EXCHANGE. The following is the Corn Exchange report for the week ending Friday; Nov. Ist, 1889 The grain market during the week has been without any noticeable feature worthy of record. Wheat is still in an unsatisfactory state, values being all round without alteration. Oats continue dull at former quotations, although the holders are quite sanguine of obtaining bettor prices liter on. Irl barley, no business of any magnitude has eventuated, shocks being low and the demand almost nil. Beans and peas, except for sowing, are not enquired for. Potatoes, as wo anticipated, are now about played. out, values on the Australian continent showing a decided downfall, j Ihe following are our quotations lor the week: —•u, . . Wheat —Prime tuscan 3a 4d to 3s sd, pearl 3s to 3s Id, hunters 2s l<j)d to 2s lid, broken chick 2s 3d to 2s ! 4d, whole 2s 6d. , 1 Oats —Prime milling 2s 6d to 2s 7d, short stout feed 2s 3d to 2» 4d. Barley Prime malting 3a 6d, medium 2a 9d to 3s, feed Is 9d td 2s. Beans, 3s'3d. v ; Peas —Prussian True; Blues 3« 9d. Grass Seed Ryegrass, machine town dressed, 4s 3d to 4s 6d, farmers’ lines 8s to 8s 6d.

Potatoes, 70s to 75s at country stations. . The above prices are those paid to farmers for delivery f.o.b. Lyttelton, sacks extra, potatoes excepted. ENGLISH MARKETS, London, Nor. 1. Nevr Zealand mutton is selling at 4fd ; Queensland beef at 4*d. Tallow is quiet; mutton, 27a to 27s 6d ; beef, 265. New Zealand 4 per cent, inscribed stock, 106 f, ftym. , Australian, wheat, ex warehouse. 39513 d. = New ; Zealand long berried wheat, ex Btore,Bss 6d, declining^ Sugar, German beet, 11s 6d, firmer; Java do, 15s fid. ; • . JMo. 1 best Scotch pig iron, f.o.b. m the Clyde, 1 595, market active. The present stock of frozen mutton is 28,000 carcases. , ..