THE MASTERSTON SEAT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3028, 27 October 1908, Page 5

THE MASTE RS TON SEAT .

"* AT MR JOHN HUNTEV Ai KURIPUNI. Mr. J. Hunter gave a campaign address at Kuripuni Hnll, last evening, | in support of his candidature for the Masterton seat. The chair was occupied by Mr J Wingate, about Bixty persons being present, including several ladies. The Chairman apologised for the unavoidable absence of Mr C. A. Pownall, who intended to take the chair. An impartial hearing was asked for. Mr Hunter was received with applause, and in opening said that it was with reluctance he decided to contest the seat, and he had found the job much larger than he had anticipated, but he intended to see it, through. Mr Hunter said he listened ' to Mr Hogg's address at the Town Hall the other night and was satisfied that the criticism of his opponent was as fair as he could wish for. Nevertheless, the impression created on the speaker's mind was that Mr Hogg looked upon his (the speaker's) candidature with a certain amount of contempt. The Member for Masterton had said he had occupied the position he was now in for 18 years, and implied that it was a piece of "castiron cheek" for anyone to question his right to continue in the position. Mr HUnter asked his heaiers to bear in mind the democratic nature of the Parliamentary constitution, which gave the electors an opportunity every three years to choose whomsoever they desired for a representative. If the length of a member's term had not been reducad from five years to three years then the speaker could understand Mr Hogg's attitude. Mr Hunter then quoted the Electoral Act to show his hearers that any person in the room could become a candidate, and contended that when a candidate suggested that no person should contest a seat against him it was dragging our democratic institution into > the mire. The speaker could not understand whether Mr Hogg thought he was the Shah of Persia or the Czar of Russia, as regarded the, attitude he had taken Up over his (Mr Hunter's) candidature. It was manifestly unfair for any person to say that the people had no the right to i elect whom they choose without dictation or interference. He had been called a stranger in the district by Mr Hogg, and in answer to that wished to say that if a twenty years' residence in the district entitled a person to be classed as a stranger then he must admit he was one. i MR HOGG AND THE TIMBER I INDUSTRY,

Mr tifflUt! Said he wished to say a few words ifii a subject which Mr Hogg seamed to Wave a mania about, namely, local indbsftfles. Mr Hogg had given a gr&itf oration on the timber industry, wfeJcSh' the speaker considered was one of W& most important m the country,' afri'd one which should be protected s rather than be demolished, as JSfif Hogg seemed to desired There' v?ere about > two thousand men erigafeed directly in the industry, and pro' bably about 1,500 indirectly. He? thought Mr Hogg had spoken without consideration of the subject, and without being aware of the facts of the case. The speaker held nit brief for the sawmillers, but ne felt he must/ consult the interests of two or three thousand workers and their families. Mr Hunter said that he had personally visited .j California; and while there had made it his business to inquire into J the timber trade methods df the i country, to see how it was that timber could be larded and sold in New Zealand cheaper than the home produced article. ' From independent sources he had learnt that the employees work from nine to ten hours per day at a wage of from 8s 6d' to 4s per day. That was one reason why the Oalifofnlan merchants could land tiiflber in New Zealand at acost j to enable" Jf- to be sold at a lower) price" than the New Zealand timber. Then again, the principal persons employed ifl the industry were Jap- ! affese, Chinese, and Hindoos. These wertf the class of people and the cla's"s &i labour condltiona Mr Hogg Was utfco'nseioiisly trying to encourage.- And yet he had been termed the? "friefld of the working man." Mr flogg, In tbi» connection, had failed to poftfi'f cut' one thing,— where.the benefit to the people came in. If the fureigtf timber merchants could "dish up" ; the? New Zealand industry, the people - of New Zealand could rest assured they-wonJd do dov The speaker asked What would be thought of a man Who went round New Zealand advocating a nine or ten hours' day, and a 4a a 1 day wage? And yet this was what Mr Hogg Was doing in effect. Mr Hbgfg had said he told his sawmilling- he wa» sorry for thenrvand the speaker believed that tiad'the'riitirriber for" Masterton looked beneath' tibfe' surface as little and found'out ifae torus ot affairs, he would be ashamed 1 o# what he, had been ativoca*iiig regarding the timber industry of tihe Dom in ion. So serious' V/as- the position now becoming that the Government proposed to set up ission to inquire into the matte'r complained of by the sawmillers,.and M¥ Hunter said he would take car# to» give evidence himself before that 1 Commission, and give the Commissioners his own personal investigation when in California. LAND SETTLEMENT. In regard to land settlement, the' sneaker was prepared to give Mr' Hogg credit for having done hin level best for the district. But while the principle applied by Mr Hogg to the timber industry was that he was willing to sacrifice the interests of the few for the many, without compensation on the land question, he was not prepared to sacrifice the interests of a few capitalists for the benefits of many of the public even with compensation. The Member for Masterton had made a point of not wishing to interfere with lea while the I Rev. J. C. Andrew was alive, ai?d if J this was the stand he took up it j meant that before the district could expect any assistance from Mr Hogg in the matter of land settlement, the present generation of capitalists would have to die out. The speaker said this without disparagement to ! the'late Rev. Andrew, who was a personal associate of his, and whose family were also triends of hia. Mr Hunter went on to say that closer settlement was a question of paramount importance to Masterton, as it

concerned the mo?t vital of the ir dustrial interests of the town. THE TWO ELECTORATES. How did Mr Hogg meet tb< charges of the speaker in referena to the Wairarapa electorate receiving I "efarential treatment from the Go y erh /nent in the matter of cloSei ' gettlerov^ nt? He Q uoted the Langdalc settlement . as beiug most prosperous and said he P roud of it, giving figures to show fc»* e £° od result of the acquisition of this es&te- Mr Hunter contended that it was- the worst thing Mr Hogg could have* done for his own protection to have* showu that Langdale was so prosperous. There had been other estates offered to the Government at various times. Brancepeth had at one time been offered to the Government at £6 18s per acre, and why had Mr Hogg not exerted his influence then to get the Government to take it? The same land could probably not now be got under £ls per acre. Rangitumau had also been offered, and if taken and cut up into dairy farms would have been a great benefit to Masterton. Why had Mr Hogg not pressed the Government to accept this estate? There would have been no compulsory resumption about either 'of these estates. Either one of two things mus*t, in the speaker's mind, be the case. Mr Hogg had said he had received bushels of letters on the question of closer settlement, and he must either have no influence with the Government, or he did not believe in land settlement. Had the speaker made such a poor success of things he would ask the electors to give someone else a turn instead of seeking a further term in the House as their representative. MR HOGG AN "ACROBAT." Mr Hunter said that Mr Hogg should look at his own political acts before he dubbed his opponent an "acrobat." Mr Hogg was on one hand found to be arguing strongly for free trade in the matter of certain things, a.nd then he turns round and says he; is an "ardent protectionist." Then d$ not Mr Hogg make an acrgbatic leap into the ''New Liberal." Party, and later come back and ask the support of his constituents as a supporter of the Government? Mr Hogg excelled as a political acrobat. The speaker was not surprised to be called an acrobat when Mr Hogg applied such epithets as brigands and freebooters to merchants in this country. OTHER MATTERS,

Mr Hunted also criticised MV Hogg's utterances regarding borrowing, stating that it did not require a statesman to get out of a financial difficulty by borrowing, but the day of reckoning would eventually come. He considered the annual expenditure of £45,000 over the Tourist Department was not justified. Regarding Mr Hogg's explanation of why he voted against uniform school books, Mr Hunter said that oh one hand Mr Hogg desired to hand everything over to the Government, and on the other desired to have public competition. The candidate also touched on various other questions dealt with fully by him at the Town Hall a fortnight At the conclusion of his speech there was prolonged applause. A'wide range of questions was submitted and answered as follows:. —He believed in the assisted immigration of farmers with means and not overloading the labour market generally with assisted immigrants. —Regarding" sapital punishment, he thought if there were any real danger of innocent persons suffering the death penalty It should be abolished, and he was opposed to hanging a man on circumstantial evidence.— He did not think tße Second Ballot Bill wouTJ achieve tto fullest success, though he favoured the object it aimed at, majority representation.— He was not a believer in the bare majority on the liquor question.—He knew little about the- merits or demerits of the totalisator, but understood that at least it was a fair means of gambling.-He was opposed to State liquor bars unless as an alternative to No-License.—-The candidate, in reply to questions, also expressed views on the subjects of No-License, Socialism, and the political party he would be a member of, similar to those given in earlier addresses. On the motion of. Mr R. Rigg, seconded by Mr J. Smith, a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Hunter was .carried by acclamation, the candidate briefly responding.