GENERAL BOOTH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2273, 29 October 1891, Page 4

GENERAL BOOTH.

Wellington, Oct. 27. General Booth addressed a representative meeting of citizens this afternoon on the subject of his colonisation scheme. There was an exceptionally large attendance, including most of the leading business men of the city. Mr Justice Richmond, who was in the chair, referred at some length to the scheme, taking on tLe whole a favourable view of it. He said that we had also to look to our own submerged classes, and the question was whether we were treating them properly. His opinion was, and he had often expressed it, that we were not doing our duty by them. General Booth gave a brief outline of his scheme, saying that he was here to remove the fears that might exist in regard to it. He had received offers of land for the over sea colony in various parts of the world, and if New Zealand did not think it to her advantage to allow the establishment of the settlements on her lauds, he would pass on. Ever since his arrival in Australia he had been met with the remark that they did not want the criminal .lasses of England out here; but he pointed out that of the 3,000,000 of people who would come under his scheme jnly 85,000 were of the criminal class, and nearly half of that number were children, de denied that he intended to people his colony with the scum of England. On che contrary he would not put a man on it that could not be put on any farm in England. The working men of Australia daid that they did not want General Booth's labourers coming out to enter uito competition with them. But a complete answer to that was that it was jroposed to take the colonists straight "iway on to the land. At the close of nis address General Booth answered a mmber of questions put by gentlemen in the audience, and a resolution was carried heartily thanking him for his iddress and expressing sympathy with his scheme, and a hope that it would be successful. General Booth had an immense audience to-night for his lecture " In Darkest England and the Way Out." Mr J. R. Blair presided.