THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10477, 14 November 1911, Page 5

THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

MIR A. W. HOGG AT MASTERTON.

A SYMPATHETIC AUDIENCE

iMr A. W. Hogg, M.P., who has been confined to ms house for several months past with a pnJ3iifh.il form of liliness. opened his political campaiign lais- night, Aulien ho addressed a arowckU and .sympathetic audience iai the Town HlaiH. Mr Hogs was loudly applauded Whan he made bi<& appearance upon the platform, with 'his Wwsibip tihe Mayor (Mr Coradime), and he bowed his acknowledgments- in a. graceful mauiner. The Mayor, in introducing Mr Hogg, said tlhey would all be pleased to see tibeiir odd and esteemed trioud with them again. (Applause). The attendance that night was a demonstration 'of the keen interest that was being taken in the political questions- of the day, and an expression of gratitude at'the return, to health, of tihe old veteran. He wars sure that everybody would, hope that Mir B»gg would be speedily restored to tine"best- of health, and that the strain of his opening address would not delay his recovery. vApplause). The Mjavor wished Mr Hogg a successful meeting, and was sure-that lie wiould get it.

Mr Hogg, who was received with applause, said: — "Ladies and Gentlemen ,—lt has always given mo pleasure to meet my constituents here, or in any part of my electorate ; but on no occasion have I derived more gratification than on tho present. With the brief notice of my meeting and with the fact that I am badly handicapped by the state of my health, I. hardly expected to have such an audience as I have before me. The warmth of your reception indicates that whatever my shortcomings I have no need to crave your forbearance.

PARTY TIES. Although I have been for twentyone years your representative, and this is my eighth campaign—for I have always had opposition, and political life would not be worth living if I did riot get it —there would seem to be some doubt 'about my political creed. I have heard a good dog story. The animal was fastened by a string to a verandah post at a railway station. As the train was about to start, the guard asked a bystander, 'Where is that dog going?' 'I don't know,' said the man. 'He don't know; nobody knows; he's chewed his bloomin' label up.' (Laughter). There are candidates, it appears, very much in the position of that dog. Nobody seems to know where they are going. I don't know whether they have chewed their labels, but I've not eaten mine. The question, has been put to me in this way: 'We have the Government, of which Sir J. G. Ward is head, and the Opposition, led by Mr Massey. One is labeled "Liberal," the other "Reform." which are you going to support?'. Another way of putting it is -this. 'Should a no-confidence motion be brought in, will you vote against the Government and put Mr Massey into power?' I clearly defined my position in the Wellington Town Hall over two years ago, after I resigned from the Ministry. I then -aid, 'lt is said that lam a strong party man. The individual that makes that remark does not know me or my political history. When I was returned nearly twenty years ago as the representative of a constituency, I was bound to no policy, statesman, nor party. I have always exercised a free hand. I have supported good government, but I have never been the slave of a party, and never will be the slave of a party. And in my constituency, where the people know me well, I have always had as much support from the Opposition side as from the Government side, because even those opposed to me in regard to politics believed I was honest and fearless, and had the courage of my opinions, and that I would not betray their interests. I have claimed the right to think for myself, to write as I thought proper, and to speak out my opinions and convictions in all honesty. Because I still claim tfliat right I occupy that position to-night.' The Ministry lost confidence in me when I expressed my views on land monopoly and banking privilege. Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. I lost my confidence in the Ministry, and proclaimed the fact all over the Dominion.

A STATE NOTE ISSUE. I offended my colleagues in the Cabinet, and sofme of their supporters, because I spoke out vigorously on the subject, of land monopoly and a State paper currency. I regarded the control of the currency by the Government as a matter of great importance. The intelligent portion of tflie Community had long been in favour of it. The late Mr James Macandrew, Superintendent of Otago, advocated it, and the Hon. Mr Seddon spoke encouragingly about it. When I visited Wanganui, the place represented by Mr Ballance, and one of the staunchest Liberal strongholds in Now Zealand, a deputation waited on me, and I gave them a favourable reply. So far as I was concerned, I believed in the people issuing their own money. But I never in the remotest way compromised the Premier or my colleagues. That, I distinctly affirm. Tt was probably the first time, however, that a Minister of the Crown had expressed his approval of this mode of relieving the money market and removing depression. My sentiments gave certain farmers or settlers at PaMatua, who called themselves a branch of the Farmers' Union, the fright of their lives. A conference of the Union at Wellington shortly afterwards took up the running, and resolved that 'Hogg must be watched.' I forgot whether a Detective Committee was set up for the purpose; but I have no doubt I was placed under close surveillance. I cannot remember wEethcr the conference prayed for me. (Laughter.) It may have left that for the bank directors, at tQieir annual festival. The worst sufferer appears to have been the Prime Minister. He declared that if the Cabinet ventured to adopt my suggestion—which was merely to borrow a. leaf from Canada —it would bring about the financial ruin of New Zealand. Here are his express word's: —'I say, moreover, that .however anxious the hon. gentleman may l>e to carry out the views he has expressed in this direction in this country of ours, if a Government with a responsibility on its shoulders is prepared to propound a scheme of paper currency on such lines as those that the hon. gentleman as a Minister of the Crown did, and it was believed to be the Government policy, that day you will bring about the financial ruin of New Zealand.' 'The financial ruin of New Zealand!' On what a slender spider's thread did it depend ? Imagine the mere suggestion of the people taking the control of their own currency imperilling the stability of

'the Dominion, What a lesson on the danger of placing yourselves too much within the power of your 'uncle.' Yet, when I left the Cabinet, and went round tlie Dominion, my advocacy of the paper currency was everywhere applauded. By and by the Labour Party got into power in Anitraha. and a Commonwealth note issue was ■authorised. I venture to say that the Federal Premier (Mr Fisher), who has | a contempt for titles, will long be thanked and honoured for his splendid stroke of policy. The scheme that was to wreck and ruin this country has brought prosperity and wealth to the Australian State;. lam not prepared to say that the attention directed to the question of currency provoked by |my resignation had anything to do witli the action of Mr Fisher and the Labour Party, but if it had, J am amply repaid for any sacrifice I have made. But now comes the .sequel. Sir Joseph, now a member of the British aristocracy, has been converted! (Laughter). He actually sees some merit in tho proposal that was to bring about 'tbe financial ruin of New Zealand.' (Laughter.) Next session wo are promised a Bill authorising a note issue by the State. There was really no need to postpone it for a year. All the Government has to do is to copy it from the Australian Statute Book. But possibly Sir Joseph intends to 'kill two dogs with one stone.' Australia is about to pass a State Bank Bill, and we can copy and pa.s tlie two Bills when we are at it. As a matter of etiquette, the Prime Minister should thank me now for my suggestion. He may yet discover that a State currency is an effective preventative of 'depression,' and 'financial stringency,' and that it will rescue the people from the greed of private money lenders and money-lending institutions, and it is bound to largely increase the general prosperity.'

RISE AND FALL OF THE ROADS DEPARTMENT. The fate of the Roads Department was tragic. The Department had its origin in the co-operative system of labour introduced after the passing of the Land Act, 1892. The object was to relieve the labour market and facilitate the opening up of land for settlement. Under the late Sir John McKenzie, the Hon. Hall-Jones, and the Hon. Jas McGowan, the Roads Department became a huge success. Providing work for old and young, weak and strong, it cleared the unfortunate swagger and sundowner off tihe roads, gave the settler without capital remunerative employment, and it opened up the bush country in a way that gave eminent satisfaction. Hence it came to be regarded as one of the most useful and beneficent departments of ,the State. Under this scheme of co-operative work and settlement, most of the Forty-Mile Bush was settled, and a large part of the Masterton electorate was roaded. No work performed by the State has been of greater importance than that of the Roads Department. It opened up every district where land was available for settlement, placing hundreds of workers and their families in homes of tlieir own, and making employment abundant. When I was offer-' ed a seat in the Cabinet I told the Premier that I wanted Lands. He replied 'No! You can have the Roads Department.' I thought I might bo able to do a lot of valuable work for the settlers as Minister of Roads, and this was my chief reason for joining the Cabinet. I believe I can say without egotism that the great aim of my life has l>een to promote settlement and help the workers on the road to independence and comfort. Here, then, was" my opportunity.

I .-.. RE-ORGANISATION. ! , One of the first duties of a Minister j should be to make himself conversant with his department. Early in 1909, I when I took over the Roads Department, the late Mr Hurstihouse was Chief Engineer, and under district engineers and inspectors about 5000 co-operative labourers were employed, making roads and tracks for the newsettlers. I lost no time in making myself conversant -with the maclunery of the Department. Messrs 6. F. Robinson, with Messrs Nathan, Scott, and Harding, had charge of the Wellington district; Mr McMillan, Hawke's Bay; Mr Reaney, Wanganui; Mr I Murray,' Taranaki; Mr Burd and Mr Julian, the King Country; Mr Wright and Mr Menzies, Auckland. These officers assisted me in my tour of inspection. I travelled all over the North Island and a portion of Marlborough hi' the South Island, which ■ was under the charge of Mr Williams. Each engineer appeared to be thoroughly conversant with the re- ! quirements' of his own district, and I : had the advantage of being accomI panied. by the Members. In this way I I gained a lot of valuable information. ' I mingled with the settlers, met deputations, and saw where important j works «ere a pressing necessity. Some of these works were of considerable (magnitude, and were absolutely needed before the blocks of land could be opened up with any hope of success. I saw where hundreds of families could be planted in comfort, where there were millions of acres to be occupied, and I predicted that the value of our exports might readily be doubled and trebled. I travelled through regions of bush ready for tttie sawmiller and his hands, through scores of miles of country covered with tall fern and manuka, I witnessed scenery indescribably beautiful, huge lakes, rivers, and gorges of wonderful loveliness. I saw country rich in minerals of tlie most valuable character, mountains of limestone, and huge fields of coal. All that was needed was the application of labour to convert this latent wealth into active capital, and augment the prosperity of New Zealand to an extent hardly contemplated. Mr Hursthouse retired on his pension. Mr Wright, one of the most experienced and competent officers in the public service, became Inspecting Engineer, and I recommended that Mr Short should be Under-Secretary. I further recommended the purchase of up-to-date road-making machinery, and I j resolved that the works so badly required by the back-block settlers should be carried on both vigorously and economically. What ensued?

FALSE iRETB.K.N'CHsMEXT. Bum's says:— "TQie (best laid ■schemes of mnce and men aft gang aglee." No doubt, I was a dreamer'. I was hiu'i'lding 'castles in the air. I had the material, 'but you cannot make bricks without straw. I told t'hfi 'Settlers that their wants would ihave attention.. They should dilave roads, and bridges l to enable them to work their land to advantage. But I never omitted the proviso :—"lf I can only get the money." A lying cablegram' that has not yet seen the QigTit, tihat 'Great 'Britain was in danger, led to thv offer of the two-million Dreadnought to scare rtlhe Kaiser mid prtop up Jdhai B\ill. Almost srm/iilitaneo-isly came the starting amiouncemont

' ''Retrenchment of rfclie Public Serv- ,' ice." "I can save a quarter of a million without injuring .the eflkd•eaicy of the public service," cried the Prime Minister. ,f W!hat a humilia.ing adimiistlion of bad management!'' retorted •t'li'e Opposition. The pwo: L was 'line Public Se-'VK - waited in fear and' trembling. Agtxl ! messengers oame to me with toars in 1 their eyes. What was the nature of the retrenchment ? Civil servants — some of tlnem with fat salaries that Ikid ireached tlie allotted age—were superannuated, and added t-j a formidable pension Jfrat. _ Temporary clerks -were unceremoniously dismissed, and offered bush land on which, not being bullocks or bushmen, they were unable to mv. The Roads Department, or' which I liad charge—tine most useful department in the public service— -vxk sii.a;J;ed to pieces. Remonstrance was useloss. The Department, with its trainecLrofficers and urmv of stalwart roadmabers, was wiocKod deliberately wrecked. The Opi?!'"d saving to be effected by retren -hint-nt was made at the expense of the cooperattive labourers and lauJ settler's. The dcstnuti.m of tlie R.'nd-» Department w-s due to no ■'iwiict-ivettne-ss, but it was an act of supreme folly. f ventur* t-. «av that a mene cruel or suicidal strobe of bad policy has never been inflicted, on a young cnm'vy. At a time of universal sufferiug, wh«>n woik wasunobtainable, ihois.i ids «f men »<r«) summarily turned cfi the road to bes, borrow <■• starve How tliev banned the I«';cmi ts and applied to the Benevolent Boards ft>r charity! Hov t'-e settlors and business 'e~.d'tts '.n the 1.tt.0 centres poti ti.)i.t\l -i n fr< -le-ted ago inf the rem-'"a.l cf ribn.r ftom. their Ho ads and tracks' Tlie 'ries I heard, tlie scenes I witnessed i shall never forget.' The Treasury was declared empty, and men and officers were dismissed at the rate of a thousand a month. . Tlie Department of Public Works, over which the Hon. JR.. McKenzie presides, was spared, but my Department was in. tlie torture chamber. An ingenious instrument of exquisite torture, during the Inquisition, was am iron cage which contracted gradually until the viictim was squeezed to death. This wais the fate of the Roads Department. I took charge of it in January, 1909, and resigned .in June. 'Here is the record of cooperative (hands employed:— January 4827: February, -5243; March,. 5039; April, 4246; May, 3544; June, 2016. In tour months- the men emploved on the roads were reduced from, five thousand to two thousand. During the same per Cod the hands employed on the railway works, which wea-e of infinitely less importance to the settlers, were only reduced from 4711 to 4068. Before the end of the year the Department was virtually wiped out, the number of hands being reduced to considerably under a tliousand, while the number on the railways never tel below 3500. Is it surprising that oaunwy members complain that the ranjOT voted for roads is not expended.'' liue Roads Department lias b«en merged in the Public Works Or Railway Construction Department, and unless there is a change of policy it is onJy a question of a little time when the co-operative system of labour ooi which the Liberal; and Labour Party prided itself, and which is one off the ■planks of the Aemocan Knights «t Labour, <\M\ entirely disappear.

THE LEGISLA'iiVE COUNCIL. One of the big planks of Mir Ma&sey land the Reform Party is an alteration of the constitution involving the construction of the Legislative Council. There -was a time when I regarded, the Legd&liative Council not siirciply as useless, but 'mr'lschaevous. I dodisnated tine Councillors fossils, crustaceans, and relics of a past age. This, was in the days uthie'n Councillors were apipoinifced'for life and the Council enjoyed supreme political' power with out (responsibility. Every Councillor was am autocrat to whom a-emonsitrance was vain. The representatives of the people were under the heel of an albteorute tyranny. They could otafljy pass laws itlhat (had the Council's approval. Many of the Councilors were either land (monopolists or men of wealth. Labour an that Chamber was entirely unrepresented. The result was that we either had no progress, or class legislation of tib© worst character. The trouble that arose over the appointment of new Oounalloris when Mr Ballance ibecame Premier led to a reform of tibe Legislative Council. Members are now paid for their services, and instead of being appointed Iftxr life, they have simply a tenure of seven years. Since this alteration was imade tine Council has. occasionally done very good work in the way of improving our legislation, and it cannot foe fairly charged with obstruction. iMfc>stt of its members I know personally, and they rank very Mdh in my estimation. Taken as a whole, I think the present Legislative Council twill favourably compare with, the House of Representatives. Mr 'Mas>sey proposes that the Council should be elective ,and not nominated. An elective. Upper House in, Victoria and other places Bias- simply obstructed progress! and perpetuated class legislation. ' If you alteir the qualification of voters, or materiallv change the electorates, class legislation will be thie result. If CbuneiEoris are elected on a popular basis, you will simply have a second House of Representatives, and what is ihe good of that? Two many cooks spoil tOie broth. The only reasonable objection to the Legislative Council at present seems to ■me to be the cost of .the Second <3liia.in.be r, and the question its wfhetiher tihe country gets value for its money. At all events itlie Council is doing little harm, and there is no pressing 'necessity for a reform tha/t ■is 'hedged around with, serious dangers and difficulties. I should advise the Rtedbran Party to. remove that plank, and-make room for something mwre useful.

THE NATIONAL DEBT. Tire rapidity -with which, tlie natflowal debit ilras been growing concerns a good many people. . We owe almost entirely to foreign bond-hold-ers 80 imililiions of money, earying am interest off 3 millions annual^ - . This swms a ibig drain from the earnings of «i population of only a is mot so .formidable as it- liooks. Witah a heaMry revenue, good seasons, and good markets. New Zealand is well a.bflle. >to pay her way. There is. no occasion for the slightest alarm. Opposite our !big debt we hiave any

amount of splendid assets. A great deal tof the hororwed money is paying its way. A large portion has l>ecn used to enable .people to settle permanent ty h>ii .tlie land. TheAdvances to Settlers and Workers Scheme has done an immense .service in [helping the. worker without capita.! to place himself beyond ttie (reach of tllio landlord a.nd private # moneylender. Nor can it he denied that tlie umoiiov (borrowed and expended under the* Lands for Settlemosit.Act Unas been of great .service in enabling thriftv settlers to a-aiso tihemselve-s from the .position, of wage earners to a position of comparative Midependenee. Over .borrowing is to he deprecated, but a young country requires .nloiity of capital if it is to he ra.pidlv~dev.el«ped, and so long as the money is well expended and tire amount of the .national debt is kept within reasonable .bounds, the people ' have nothing to fear, lire most rc-»-,rettable feature in connection with our indebtedness is the (huge amount thit travels annually to the foreign investor'. There is no guarantee that «.nv mart of this money will be rc(investedinNew Zealand Hence the drain on our resources tar mUiesit. and sinking fund means permanent impoverishment. If 'by any means U can check this drain by .making use of the capital- that we are constantly .manufacturing, it is clearlj •our dii:ty to see to it.

LAND HU'NtGER. A.l<out two months a*), from the verv flieairt of the Forty-Alile Bush, 1 received .tMi's letter :—'tf>ear Sir—Re large families, I tain quite sure you wif feel witlb me. I would like you to bninn- it under tihie Premier b notice. Tliio working man with a huge family is surely deserving of notice and lieilp, and wi,tlh all the land available don't you ithimk he should be Jiielped? I will just fte.ll you how 1 am with a family of nine, three girls and six ibovs. and the eldest not sixteen veams. old. My husband works on It'lie Gisborne-Motu railway. It takes (half his wages to keep him and I get the otheir (lualf to keep eight child/Ten and myself, wMch is an impossibility. That is the en-oouragi-memt I get with a (large fanrly. Do try amd do wduat you cam xo help the miam witlh ia famOly on. to tlie land, help the home team first l«r.>re the, --f anger. My hu&band i.s very opn ill, and loses 'a lot of time, and 1 don't know how I am to bring up the ,faanilv; but on the land it wornd be easy/ My case i& tine simple truth, aaid I aim. sure wMman that saw how I aim comipellled to (pinch a.ud screw j to live .wpuld not think of having a I family at all'. J beg of yon to do your best in our interests.'' This [ Hatter is properly signed and perfectly genuine. _lt is a sample of many fetters (that I receive from both men I and women w.ho appear to be farmisih- ' ling .because tlluey cannot get. a few .acres of lliand to help them to ( keep the pot boiling. A woman situated like this, dependent' on the half of tor ihiii,sibaud'.s earnings as a. co-oper-ative labourer to keep herself a:»d nine young cliildren, is as bad as a pension oin a raft, in mid-ocean., tryan<g to live on half rations. Around liter are comfortable homeisteids, and am abundance of the richest coun 1 y in New Zealand, .but while sheep, and .cattle, and l pigs, and poultry, re- | vel in abundance, ,slh?e i,s compelled to I "pinch .and screw" tar herself tine; 1 little ones in order to keep body and souil together. It .is sad' to reflect that in a country like till is, so rieiV.v j endowed 'by Nature, a complaint .such . as is contained iin this letter should be possible. It shows that after all ( bnlr laud legislation we liave. entirely | failed to meet the case of tlhe Oand- ! less, .worker. Were this man and his wlife and family four-footed quadrupeds they would be (placed in a fattening paddock, but because they are linimn.li beings dependent om a laibour- ! er's wage, they are left on the verge of destitution. Only <a few da.yis ago iseven sections of land were ba Hotted for at Taiiihape, and fhowi many applications were • received if or them ? About four .hundred. Every time that land is offered of fair quality on reasonable terms there is a similar scramble. It is tn-ue that plenty of priviate (Land is offered'for isaile, but xha (prices, asked tare .soJiigh that the I piureliiaiser runs a serious risk _of I losifng all 1 lie invests_ or making himi self -the .slave for life of the mort[•igagee. Tlhiere is ,pleinty of land in litSie hands of Eiurepeans:, ais well a.s Natives, in an unimproved or partMCly improved condition, to alI lay the'land fluunger tlhat exists, and it* is the diutv of the State to see that this larid, instead of (remaining idle, is. properly utiMsed. Peoph?. wiho are .prepared to go on the land and rear a; family, as tlhe< woman wflnose letter I read is. .prepared to do, .should have no difficulty in getting the material for a Ihlomestead.

COST OF LIVING. A question «n wthiiteh tin© Prime j .M/in&stCT land myself ilVjwe always difI felted is .tltoe iirj;¥#rita.on :of duties <m j food. My cr>nf l '»r..t.!on is that in the

interests of tlie wllio-le coinmiunity, aaid especially of workers 'with large Iflamiltes, no "daities sliouiM ibe levied on the ineccsisaries of life. (My motto litis always, been to remove ais fair as piraciticab-lie the burdens of the industrial .masses. It is now several yeans since J proposed to aholi'sih tlie duty mi flour. Although opposed .by the Cabinet and Mr Massey, tlie Laid or of the Opopsition, and his fiollowers, I had the voting poA\'er of the H'ouse so strongly on my side that on fliio or two occasions tlie Qo-viM-nment found it-hcmselves in a tight corner. On .the liist occasion, when t'li!c Hi 11 .defeated, I stated' that I was so impressed with (the in-jiistLae-of the .bread tax that I would bring forward the .measure again and again until it was carried, during last session 1 .introduced a Bill having .for its. object tlie abolition of duties on flour, oat uveal, potatoes, butter and other articles, of common, use-. The Bill had an excellent reception on its second reading, but its. further passage was prevented, by Minirtcrs and their whips talking a gains.!) time and amoving the adjournment <:f the debate. Although iVI, and in the doctor's handis, 1 attended the Hon re and watched the of the measure in tllie hone that ait least a division would be taken, so that thie country mifjhit see .-nlbo were in favmur of dhea.p, food and who were against it. The question may bo asked, "In what way does a. duty on flour or butter or potatoes affect the cost of tihesie articles, seeing that w? produce isufnu'ent for our own consaimpition? It is true that neither farm nor dairy produce are imported into this country except on rare, icccasions. We export largely, and ,grow rm'j.r-9 iiban enough, for our own iieqiuirements. .But that does not prevent tl'na middllenia-ii or exporter at the clo.se of each reason locking up the produce he has on hand, producing iui .artificial famine, and raisiiiig (iirioe&. Take the case of' fkiuir as an illustration. Flour is usually from 30s to £2 per ton cheaper in the Australian markets than in New Zealand. Comparatively little flour is imported from Australia; but sweep away the duty, and unless the price was reduced by, at least 20s per ton, the New Zealand market n-ould lie supplied with it. The effect of the duty is to keep out Australian competition and compel the consumer in New Zealand to pay at least £1 per ton more than the consumer in Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide. Statistics ilhow that in consequence of this duty over £IOO,OOO is annually added to the legitimate profits of the merchant or miller at the expense of the community. In the same way the duty on butter enables the holder, after exporting the season's produce to London, to lock up the remainder and demand a price for it equal to what it would cost if it was imported from other pant and besides slhfippimg charges the duty was paid. Hence, it happened that this season, when New Zealand butter was seHiinpj at Is lib in London and Austnaliian butter was 'only lOd aaid lid in Melbourne. ' Tlhe price was raised to Is 5d and Is 6d in the Wellington city and .country markets.. Between the factory price of butter and the price paid by tlhe consumer, there is usually a difI ference of 4d to 6d per lb. Who gets I tlie difference? line milk S'Upplieadoes not get it, and the storekeeper i only a.sks a. reasonable profit. Some one must flrave a srplendid innings.

- TFE LAND QUESTION. THile land question has been ifchrashedi threadbare. Opinions on lane ajdjmiindsituation differ' .because people aire .guided by their interests rather tlban pmnciple. Ail I 'the. best lands, in New Zealand are ifreieiliold, and its value is constantly •increasing'. Speculatora and monopolists want to rob tin© loomimwnity of .their endowments'.The party to wdiicth I belong harv© no desire to interfere witili- tl*e fceieliold, but they mean, if they can, to piveserve the State leaseholds*. With r&-gaa-d to tlie Mnkau estate and Native lands generally, the administration Jia® been- most inimical to settlement. Native laindis should have been taken,, the o\v.neris compensated, •and the laindikisis workeir should have been: provided with 'the- material for a htomeiSitead. Tflie statement that I opposed, a full enquiry into tlhe Mbkaiu transactions js opposed to fact. Tihe- Government offered a fn-ll< investigation before tlhe Native Affaairsi Committee, and tlhe Opposition submitted a Committee o*f their own choosing. I considered the offea- of tine Government was* reasonable, and so it proved. I considea- that every person able and willing to work should be afforded a chance of seciumin/g land Car a home, and the duty of thie Gtovieniimlent is to see that stdue opportunity is afforded. There is an abundance of land for everybody if it were only placed

within- everybody's -reach, and I will not- rest satisfied till this i« don©.

DEFENCE. ViLilLu x of an eiuoi'&nt system oi defence-, it-Junk tdmt a great nuy&ake li/as Oten made in acioep-inig ito lttioauiu-eiiiuaLwjns of .Lord Ku-cii-editir and loading our young country \skiu a system oi Militarism, i li-ave never, luaa any patience with the aoaiwnvongers' wiuo predict invasions, i-l omii&i'oii eve-iT arises the men and youui oi iN-ew Zealand wail ainuayu ix> ready and wauling to de-fend xnear c-oiiin-try. U-ur volunteers, and riile cuubs Have nweir received much enwuiagement. because tilie a-iim ox tine JJepua'tniemo has- invamably h-o-cu ;to create a samil'i standing army with comfortabro billeta for Jiiigjbiy paid oium.'l's.

(How the Parliament of this country looked tamely on, and allowed a drastic Defence Bill, that takesaway tine JSiterty -of every youth up to the age of 25, to pass into law. simply amazes me. When the Bill was igtodng through Oomimittoe I was one of thireie members wilio made- a situbiboar; r*-si&tanoe to its oomipulsory previous. The members) who were with me wie-ne Mr D. McLaren and the late Mir T. E. Taylor. Had we received the ,sru,pq>orft of a few others, we could po&SiiMy ihaive had the Bill amended, but (For want of numr bens, .after a short but stubborn fiojliit we -had to give w,ay. I have no hesitation in saying that the compaiLteotry pirolrosalons requiring meai 21 years- of age to enrol themselves and tiake up the profesS-ion. of arms under ■panm of fine, imprisonment and chis- j enfranchisement, is- a disgrace < to a rfiraa country. It is agi'oss insult l and injustice' to our youth, and I trust they wOIT resent the affront. New Zealand's great -protection isthat it is insular, amd. dependent chfefly on an effective navy. In- that l'etfpeot it res-e-mibles- the British Isles. Should it ever be attacked, the- battles will be on the hdgjh seas. llhiYisiaaJ training for our youth is hngjhily de-siraibilie, and our. nine clubsand cadets should have plenty of encouragement. But air expensive sys-1 tem of militarism is a iburden- whicli J dhoukl not be imposed, on a country, which- ds st-iCil in its (infancy, possess- J es hiuge indiuftrial possibilities, and is at peace with all the world. |

j CONCLUSION. There ( ar© many important questions that tftie time at my disposal' w3 not allow me to deal with. The Giovernmenit moist bo commended for improving the Old Age Pens-ion system, and making provision for widows with young families. If they /are to Ibdame for heavy borrowing, tihteiir opponent* .moist sQiare the responsibititv, for they have been incessant in their demands for public works. The time, I thank, has come when we should seriously consider whether by the estaWishmnet of a State Bank, wthiah* will take the place of private establishments, we wall not be able to dispense altogetber wiitli borrowing-from- abroad. The Banks at present iuave the use of 20 millions' oif deposits, more than half of which, are fixed, and tihe interest paid to depositor® l doe® not amiount to half the rate paid by the Gov&rnr ment to our bond-Jioldens. In. suggesting tfliat the Gbvennimeiit should take over this l business I know I am talking financial heresy and threatening to ruin New Zealand. But it is going to be done in- Australia, and it Willi follow here, and New Zealand will not be ruined. In nationalising our riversi and waterfalls because tlhey are sources of electrical energy the* Government has acted wisely but why don't they nationalise our coal measures and work or extend tihe, ' State coal mnne& so that railways and consumers would ibe supplied direct \vlitli fuel at the lowest possible prices ? Some scores l , if not hundreds off thousands of would annually be saved if the State took over the whole business of insurance— Life, Fine and Accident. On the question of Defence, the retention, of duties' on the necessaries of life, and a .good m-anv ofchr th'ijic-s, the Goveraiment, and tlhe Opposition run in Iharneiss together. Tflie withdrawal of the control of tin© Civil-Service from .the State wtould be a. serious blunder. A Civil Serve© Board is tone df the chief planks of the Oppo-, s'iition. It is worm-eaten and unbound. The 1-luMiip »>lorks policy requires a compete ovenhfcuil. The Roads 'and fridges Department ■should be emtiielv separated from railway and building construction, and Works should be regulated by tlheir .urgency and usefulness. If this were done the expenditure on Jine» that are not likely to pay interest on construction would be discontinued and urgent w'orks such as .ttoe Rimiufaka deviation and Master-tou-Wiaipukuiau line would be prosecuted. (Applause).

A RUaVEOUiR DENIED. I am told that there is a. rumour 'tilua.t I have made a comp.a.eit with the Government to vote for the-mi on every no-confidence motion, and that li'S the reason, no Ministerial candidate' has been out forward. I cam. only .so.y that there is- no foundation for such' a rumour. 1 have not been in (.'oni'iuiunioation with the Government, and ,1 liave in no way tried to keep a Miniriterial candidate out of the field. I am indebted to my constituents for the independent position J occupy. They have never Jbiound nie to support any party, and iff they are satisfied with what I ih'ave done in the past they will return nve. 1 have only supported measures that I believed would be beneficial to New Zealand. Personally I am ass friendly with M.r Massey as. with, Sir Joseplh Ward, but politically I agree with' neither. My apolitical cireed is ''Progress.'' I ihave lost 'confidence in the Government because it fa ills tb -move with tine times; I havie no confidence in itilie Opposition because their policy i:s retrogression. When the time for action arrive®, I will endeavour to Iplaee a new party in power. 'JTHAXKS AND CONFIDENCE. 'Mr E. G. Eton moved, "Tliiat a (heartv vote of thank® be accorded Mir Tiogg fk) his address and the many valuable service!, rendered iby Oiimi'to the da.std.otr during his long term of office, and tlmt this meeting expresses its' renewed confidence in Mr Hogg as niemib'cr for the district." iMlr E. Flanagan seconded the motion.. "Uliiei Mayor put the resolution., which was' parried by loud a.ud prolonged apilani.se, without one dissentient. A viotte of thanks to the chairman (fcjed thd meeting.