THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1911. MR A. W. HOGG.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10477, 14 November 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1911. MR A. W. HOGG.

like reception, accorded Mir A. W. Hogg, M.P., in the Mastertou. Town Hall last evening, was a flattering tribute to the personal popularity of that gentleman. The crowded audience, though not over-demonstrative, was certainly sympathetic, and "our old veteran, a.s the Mayor described the member in liis opening speech, sihould hlave no reason to feel depressed at the tone of the first meeting of his campaign. With the speech itself, tliie audiience caai. hardly be said to have been greatly impressed. Mr Hogg did not clearly define his politicalposition, other than to say that lie Iliad never l>een the slave of a party, and thlat has constituents luad always given him a free hand. He made it quite clear that he had lost confidence in the Ministry, hut he made it equally clear that he had no sympathy with the Oj>position. He practically, therefore, asks tlie electors of Musterton to return him as an independent, as a free lance, to do just what his conscience dictates. Hlad he declared his intention, of recording his vote on a no-confi-dence motion against a MKni'Sftiry in Hiiiiqli the great bulk of his. constituents, like liiiniiself, huve lost confidence, he would have strengthened his position very materially. He has not chosen, however, to do this. For SjO'ine reason he regards the tion fl.s. miction ary, and its. policy as one of retrogression. On what ground he has formed this opinion he does not explain, excepting to •say tlhat he opposes tlie reconstruction of the- Legislative Council and th'e reform of the pivil- Service in the miamner proposed by tlxe Opposition, and is not in sympathy with its laud policy. As a matter of fact, Mr Hpgg'B quarrel with the Government is. that it. is not sufficiently Radical, and does, not go far enough along the path of Socialism. He is, in reality, a redMhot Radical, and if he cannot get what-he .wants, he will support the Party wJiich mosife nearly ap-pi-oxiimtitcs to his ideal, and that will undoubtedly be the Watfd Party, " in whiclh he ctoimis to Waive lost confidence, Tttfcre can hardly be a> doubt in tlie minds of tine people that, after his speech of last mg/ht,

Mr will he found a supporter of the Government whenever a oruo ial division takes place, That being tbe case, it is' for the electors, to say wtiietiber tlhiey will send him to Parliament with a free hand. If tin© present party is returned to power, toe may be just as useful, from a district point of view, as any representative other than a servile follower. IQier© is, (however, a maiob. more imiportant consideration thaai that of district. The future of thie Lon.<Jnion depends largely upon ,tbie legislation wlnicli will be enacted during the next few years. If the present extravagance as to continue —and Ma- Hogg will bo a party to. it so long as lw> votes with the Government wlliicji lie is most required —the prospects 01 thie /future aire by no means- re-assuring. I'lie time has. arrived, and nobody knows it better lihaai Mr (Hogg, wn.en, in the best •interests of the people, there should be a change of administration. So fair, t(lio only liope an the way of change is in the direction of the Opposition, and the people as a whoie dio not agree jvith the miember for Masitertou that tine policy of this party is oine of retrogression. On the contrary, they believe it to be one of genuine progress. That being so, Mr Hop" places the constituency in a very embarrassing position w/hien he asks it to return him again to Parliament unpledged and unfettered. The pos>sib>.llity is that a majority of the people,* out of sheer sympathy, wall give "the old veteran" another tenure of office. If tlhiey do, it will be at a sacrifice of principle, and with the knowledge tilvat they may be inflicting incalculable injury, upoai the Dominion as a whole, for the sake of an individual. With the policy outlined in the speech delivered by Mr Hdgg last niigjht, few. people in rural eonstatu-tKi-oieis will be found in sympathy. His views concerning the land question, the Legislative Conn oil, and defence, cannot appelal to the voters of this electorate'. He is practically seeking the suffrages of tlie people upon hjs. past conduct as an assiduous worker, and if he should succeed, as possibly he willll, it wall be fa recognition more of his services to the diistriat, extending over a period of twieaity years, t'.ha.n_ to. has views on the political quest ions of the day.