THE MEMBER FOR MASTERTON.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10289, 18 July 1911, Page 5

THE MEMBER FOR MASTERTON.

ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Mr A. W. Hogg, M.P. for Masterton., who was in Auckland for an hour or' two recently while passing through on his way to Rotorua, had something to oay to a pressman whom 'he met an, the (political. -outlook, particularly from the democratic standpoint. x certainly think there will be a material change brought about at the next.general elections," rennark.ed Mr Hogg to the interviewer, "and one that I think will be for the. 'betterment of the country, and likely to make for the establishment of a ; strong democratic party. The party I speak, of," went on the. member Msistierton, -''would generally (be ■opposed to the present opposition, and it certainly will "n<ft approve of the Ministry as it i® now constituted. At'the present-time there axe a of ,sw^ important character urgently needed, whiles there is a noticeable and absolute want of courage to tackle thean on the part of (those who are the leaders of the people and the leaders of Parliament. I think, in fact, that the reins will have to be grasped with a firm hand in order to put down eome of the small but active monopolies that are exploiting the masses.

"Take, for instance, some of those things tha- Government claims to have brought about, but which are simiply forced into existence by public opinion when the Government has held back. Our State coal mines up to the present- have never 'been properly worked, "and to' the masses State coal is practioally impossible. I consider that the price could have been materially (reduced if ifihe Government had (their own vessels and worked their mine as they could work it, not only the workers and commissioners, but 'the manufacturers and the whole country would 'be able to obtain cheaper coal—everyone would, in fact, benefit immensely. In the meantime Government are making no attempt whatever to work their mine as they should work it. Private enterprise blocks the way, and all through the piece I reckon' the Government have for years past ®hown far more consideration for private enterprise than for the industrial population. "There are many - things that require reform, in fact, and I think we shall ®oon have a party to effect some of this very necessary reform," concluded Mr *iogg. . The member for Masterton, also expressed himself strongly opposed to the taxation of farm produce, which, he asserts, does not help the farmer, ■while it hurts, the consumer.