ADDRESS BY MR HOGG.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9530, 30 June 1909, Page 5

ADDRESS BY MR HOGG.

A CROWDED AUDIENCE.

SPEAKER RECEIVES AN ATTENTIVE HEARING.

Mr A. W. Hogg, M.P. for Masterton, delivered an address to his Masterton constituents at the Town Hail, last evening. There was a crowded audience. The stage of the Town Hall was prettily decorated with greenery, and presented in other respects the appearance of a drawing room. On the stage were seated various local gentlemen, well-known supporters of Mr Hogg, and members of his Elec tion Committees at various times during the member's Parliamentary career.

The chair was taken by the Mayor (Mr P. L. Hollings), who briefly introduced the speaker. The Mayor said that even those who did not agree with Mr Hogg in his political views could not but admire his attitude in preferring principles to expediency. The speaker thought that the events of the past few*days had r.ot diminished one iota the regard of his constituents for Mr , Hogg. The present splendid meeting showed amply what the feelings of the people of Masterton were towards their member, and in congratulating Mr Hogg on his admirable stand in respect of his principles. The speaker also congratulated him on his excellent audience. (Applause). Mr Hogg was received with loud applause on rising to speak. He first heartily thanked the Mayor for the very kindly introductory remarks that gentleman had made, and also the large audience present for their attendance. He considered that the present gathering was, excepting the meeting at the Wellington Town Hall, the second largest he had ever addressed. It certainly was the largest meeting of his constituents before which he stood to deliver an address, and he Was gratified exceedingly at that fact. MrHogg said be would tell them why he resigned. He differed with his colleagues on certain important questions of poilcy. He might have concealed his views, but he preferred to be candid. He had always preferred candour to duplicity—most of the newspapers termed his dour indiscretion. Well, if he felt strongly he claimed the right to speak plainly. He had no quarrel with the Cabinet. He parted with its members on the friendliest possible terms. They disagreed on purely public grounds, and they parted company. Of course there was no champagne supper or formal leave taking, or toasts, or singing of "He's a Jolly Good Fellow." All these formalities were dispensed with. NEWSPAPER COMMENT.

His speech in Parliament had occasioned the 3f?V°?se cpmment of a gddu many "newspapers. It caiioCf laughter in the House, but editors apparently were bilious. He refused to eat any leek, and the local press 'had treated him well throughout. He had also been supported by such as the "Napier Daily Telegraph" "Wflnganui Herald," Free Lance," and "Otago Daily Times." His views could not be otherwise than annoying to capitalistic organs. LAND MONOPOLY.

He reviewed the history of land settlement in New Zealand; how the land was held by the banks and companies and a few squatters thirty years ago: the opening up of the bush to industry under the Act of 1892; the subsequent improvements that followed the opening of the Advances to Settlers Office; and the distressing effect that liberal land legislation and cheap money had on financial institutions. AGGREGATION.

He next referred to the altered appearance of the country after tfte advent of settlement, pointing out how towns, hamlets, schools and dairy factories had grown up. Then things improved the speculator and monopolist came along tempting the settlers to sell out, helping the greedy to buy out their neighbours, and causing the country to be again depopulated. Roads became unused and public works fell into ruin. Hence the emphatic way in which he deprecated the monopolist and his deeds. He deplored the way in which the villages and special settlements he had taken an active part in founding were allowed to go tu wreck. The recent visit to Pongaroa convinced him that owing to the aggregation going on,the country instead of going forward was going back. No wonder he termed monopoly a crime. The petty thief nured the individuals but the monopolist played havoc with the whole community.

TAXATION.

Taxation was a good remedy for many evils. While necessaries should be exempted the taxation of luxuries was justifiable. The person dissatisfied with one farm who wanted a number of holdings should be treated as a dealer in luxuries, and his luxuries should be taxed increasingly as they increase in number. The remedy for the land grabber was presented by the late John Ballance, but for eighteen years only a mild dose had been administered, and it had little or no effect. The Hon. R. McNab had tried a second dose, but it was hardly powerful enough. He wanted improved treatment; hence his departure from the Cabinet. THE KING COUNTRY.

He described the fine land he had seen in the King Country, and expressed regret that it was not prepared properly for settlement, and was producing nothing. No rates were obtainable from it, and in the absence of roads nothing could be done with it. Yet the eyes were being picked out of it by speculators. It was quite true that the alienation of native land was hedged in by conditions of various kinds, but that condition did not hinder the speculator getting long leases and keeping the land idle awaiting its improvement with public works at the general expense. Within the last year or two a couple of million acres had been privately acquired from the Maori owners. fie strongly deprecated these private dealings, hold ng that the Government should secure the land and treat it as land under the Land for system. Mr Hogg next dealt with the various explanations respecting the cause of the depression from which New Zealand had been and was still suffering. The Advances to Settlers

j Office had? felt the stringency of the times. A raid was made upon it, and the maximum ambunt issued was reduced from £3,000 to £I.OOO, and? then £SOO, and at last borrowers requiring £IOO had to wait for weeks for their money. Last session members waited on the Premier and asked that more money should be" provided, and authority to raise another million was obtained. He had appealed to the Government in Parliament to increase the currency and give relief to the men and women who were improving the country. These people were in the grasp of the banks and money-lend-ers, which were sweating them, and extracting nsurious terms over their mortgages. In the interests of the settlers and farmers he had urged a State currency, because the Advances to Settlers Office could not deal with the crisis. Last year it issued over £1,400,000, but this was not enough because the money lending institutions had been lending freely, and had the industrial classes at their mercy. Then he was told by the Farmers' Union he was doing something very dangerous, and must be watched. Now, where was the risk? Could the security of the State be made worse or less valueless than that of bank shareholders and directors? Canada had taken power to issue State notes without any limit, .the security in gold to be 25 pfP cent, for £8,000,000 and 15 per cent, over that. A measure of this kind would have saved the raising cf a loan, and cured the depression for lending institutions would have promptly relaxed their grasp. When depression came it was not the gambler or stockbroker who suffered. When he entered the Ministry, while he had emolumsnts and luxuries himself, he found suffering everywhere* As Minister for Labour he was besieged by the unemployed, and the letters he got were heartrending. All he could do was to refer the applicants to the Labour Bureau, where their names would be recorded. Being Minister for • Roads and Bridges he tried to make himself conversant with the country, and its requirements. He made a tour c£ Hawke's Bay,Pahiatua,Taranaki, the King County and the Waikato. Afttr he met the settlers and ascertained their wants, he received an imperative notice that works must wholly or partially suspended. They could imagine his feelings. He was a Minister of Labour with no work for the unemployed, and a Minister of Roads with no money for public works. Suffering was widespread and intense, and he could not relieve it.

Apparently the bad times the people were having was not experienced by the banks and their shareholders. The Bank of New Zealand was able to div ; de 12| per cent., and add £200,000 to its reserve fund. From £500,000 of ordinary capital the Bank during the past nine years had £?!?t?!.':?:! nel profits annually ranging irohi £164,360 tp £3.13,150, equal to £1,980,966. Surety tills better than any gold mine. The finatcial stringency wa& carefully arranged. For some years while e markets wera good, and produ.e the private money lenders made capital very easy, and buying and selling—the game of the speculator went merrily on. Land grew rapidly in value. Mortgages were the rule, and all_ that was needed was a change in the markets to give the lender his opportunity. The slump came, the mortgagee had the settlers at his mercy, and his grip was merciless. Recourse was had to the Advances Office, but that was quickly drained, ' and then up went the price of money, afid the rates of interest. Extortion or ruin was the choice offered many a settler, and he submitted to the former.

If the State had taken charge of thee urrency all this could have been prevented. He could tell them that State notes could be produced with a free value better than any bank notes. New Zealand was producing capital every day—in fact, sending away her gold and silver. They were living too much on the foreign money lender instead of manufacturing their own capital. Their wealth waa good land, a good climaLo and an energetic population, and there should not be an idle hand or a vestige of destitution in the country. >Mr Hogg received an attentive ami most appreciative hearing, resuming his seat amid prolonged aDplause. No dissentient voices were heard as the speaker emphasised his various points, but on the contrary, appreciative applause was frequent and complimentary remarks were repeatedly given expression to by pei>~ sor.s in the audienca. On one occasion an excited individual stood up, after Mr Hogg had made some reference to the Acting-Premier, and insisted that the Hon. Mr Carroll was afraid of Mr Hogg in the Cabinet,' and applying a strong term to the ActingPremier. The audiene demanded order, which was only resumed after a policeman had warned the interrupter.

Mr Mackay moved the following motion That this meeting, having heard Mr Hogg's explanation, is fully satisfied therewith, and is thoroughly satisfied with him as representative for the Master ton eiectorate. , Mr C. Wagland seconded the motto?. The Mayor, after calling for the "ayes," which were given vociferously, declared the motion carried unanimously. Mr Hogg briefly thanked the audience, stating that he felt that h 9 could now tell New Zealand that he had at least the confidence of his constituents.