AN INTERVIEW WITH MR BRADLAUGH.

Inangahua Times, Volume XI, Issue 1695, 23 April 1886, Page 2

AN INTERVIEW WITH MR BRADLAUGH.

In accordance with the pre-arranged plan, I on Tuesday afternoon last made a call on Mr Braud laugh, my notion t>eing to talk over the details of the great Freethinker's forth-coming visit to the Australian, and more particularly to New Zealand. Mr Brarilaugh's residence is far away from all the fashionable pa its of town. He lives, in point of fact (together with bib colleftsjne and fellow- worker, the buxom Mrsßesant), over a music shop, it £0 Circus road, St. John's Wood. Tfnther by underground railway I hied me, and found M* Braudlaugh at work reading Blue hooks in a roomy library, the walls of which were lined from floor to ceiling with solid-looking books, all carefully enwrapped in brown-paper covers and n<at!y labelled. At the side table a grave private secretary was scribbling, as though for dear life, and a lady's easy chair indicated the ocensiona 1 presence of Mrs Besant. Mr Bndlaugh speaks in a slow, emphatic manner, picking his words carefully and rounding off the ends of his sen tences with extreme neatness. He welcomed me cordially. " I have felt," he said, " for sometime past I ought to take a holiday, aud now my doctors tell me his imperative. 1 am not really ill, but the strain of the long and anxious struggle, I have had all these years seems to be making itself felt now that for the ffrst time it is somewhat relaxed. I long tor the quiet of a s< a voya-'e. Six weeks without letters would indeed be real rest," " What suggested tbe idea of the Anstralias specialty to you, Mr Bradlaugh," I ask 'd. "Well," sad he, " I have been to America th:ee times already. Besides the voyage is to short. I w<mt, too, to see many k iown and unknown friends in (he colonies who have helped me, in my troubles. New Zea land I especially look forward to visHLg. The prospect of malting Mr Stout's acquaintance i* one of the chief attractions of the tour to me." I did what I coulJ to exp'ain the various routes, briefly reviewing the respective merits of P. and 0., Orient, New Zealand Shipping, and Mes^a geries Maritime boat?. Mr Bran<llang!i seemed taken with the itloa of trying the last nainel. "I know a little French, I like the people, and I can thoroughly appreciate tin h cooking." Possibly, too, lie thought it an excellent way to avoid the impertinent curiosity and prejudice that would inevitably be his fate on a big English liner. '• And now, Mr Biadlaugh," I said at last, " what do you mean to say and do in the colonies ? Will you talk about things in general or ventilate your views of Freethough and Christianity ! I am bound to tell you, if you open fire directly you get there with Atheistic discourses', yonr reception may be an unpleasantly warm one." "That," said he with emphasis, ••would not d't-»r m« from such a course if I felt it to be a duty. I have never shirked the consequences of my, opinions. But (he. went on), I draw a great distinction between the Hue I feel com [e' led to follow here and tiie course I sh mid pursue in New Zealand. When I went to the United States they were amazed I mado no pntaMel between the state of affairs at H me ai:d in America, or in the colonies. Here we have a privileged majority, and must be aggressive because we are in a minority; whilst out there is no State religion and everyone pays for what he likes best. I can see no necessity, consequently, for denouncing what is a matter of free choice. On this grouud, and not because I am afraid of polemics, I shall probably confine myself to speaking on general topics in the colonies." Mr Bradkugh's presence does much to dissipate the disagreeable ioipres sions strangers usually have of him. On all ordinary subjects he converses delightfully, and his views on current politics would meet with the hearty approval of nine out of ten colonists. Those of your readers who wish to get some idea of the true nature of the man should read a story called " We Two," by Edna Lyall (Hnrst and Blackett), in which he figures prominently under a very thin alias, as also does his daughter Hypatia Braudlaugh. Miss Lyall, herself an earnest Christian understands the Bradlaugh creed and manner of life to perfection.