OPEN-AIR MEETING

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10501, 13 December 1911, Page 5

OPEN-AIR MEETING

MR HOGG'S CANDIDATURE.

Between. 400 and 500 peopll© were present at the open', afir meeting in. rfmnt of the Masterbon Borough' -Council Chambers last evening, wtav a number of local speakers .gave addresses in, the interest oif Mr Hogg's candidature. The Mayor -(•Mi- J. Mi. CoTadtine) presided, and tlhe meeting, with, the exception of •an occasional imterjecuKm, was of a most orderly nature, the remarks of the various speakers being listened to with great interest. The first speaker was* Mr Coradine, who,-dwelt ait .some length on' Mr Hogg's, position between the two parties, and which position be taßaimedi tie candidate, had made •quite dear. Mr Hogg had been & faithful supporter of the district for. .years, and he (the speaker) -would not sacrifice Mr Hogg's chances for either Ssr Jtosepb. Ward or Mr Mia®eeyi Tlhe Press was arrayed against •Mfc.Hogg,.but after all their utterances were only the opinion of one man. (Hear, hear!) T% Prefes took good care not to say that' Mr Sykes was a Conservative, because be was supported by Conservatives. In Mr Hogg tliey had ai man> who they •could ill afford to Inset, and the ■• speaker appealed to those present to rally round the man whose flag was for humanity and brotherly kindness. (Applause.) Mr- W. Kemp made a very able*. ' fipeeohJin smpport of tiie cause. He warmly crilttoiised the Beform Party, ' «hd mad*-' eartogistwMreferein^:-ttf'. tire, ' serykes; [( , v :of; : -Mr,. .<„ Bfagg. ■Amidst tappiau.se, he said that there was more ctrigjniaSity in, the to 6 of Mr Hogg iSh'an- in the wWfle of Mr i'Sykefc' composdtftbn. (Mr D. Threadwell made special menitfion of tihe.Jand monopoly, quoting the Bawke's Bay district as a ;striking example. ''There wag a ■slight'disturbance in the, tjhe ispeaker mentioned closerf'setulemicavt in this district, and ; said that the -Beforcm Marty hadVdone nothing to bring it about. One of the audience wanted to know why -the Government did not . purchase Brtancepeth' staflion when, it wasi offered, at £6 an. acre. The interjeetor tried to make some further remarks, "but they were drowned in, hoot's and . groans'. , :Mr F. appealed to the wttrWs-' to rally round Mr' He • -referred to.the. improved conditions -of 'the worker,-..aha tfhey 'did • not. want to go back to the old days, of

drudgery.' • Mr B. Flanagan was the "last of the speakers, and he stated, that. Ms. mission was to support, the man who ■advocated -democracy in- this country. (Cheers.) The speaker went into the details of the.Reform Praty's platform, and warmly criticised tlie vairiouiS' planks. On. iJhe motion, of Mir F. A. Laror bourn, the speakers were!accorded a lioarty vote of thanks. Before, the eoricliuslan of the meeting Mr F!m.n.agan was a;sked to read an. article, from the "Evening Post!" of Monday evening in support of Mr Hpgg, which was done araidist prolonged 'cheers. V The Mayor mentioned that on the follow mi g eveniwg 'Mr Hogg would -address the electors at K'uripuni at ' -7 o'clock,, and them, opposite tlie Council Cttiaimibea-s at '8 o'clock. The crowd then dispensed, a niunIber proceednm.g to the 1 ' outside, of the Town. Hal, "where they gave cheers for Mr Hogg, and demanis.trated generally.