THE HOGG TESTIMONIAL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10517, 4 January 1912, Page 5

THE HOGG TESTIMONIAL

NO FALSE PRIDE. Ins a letter to a friend, iai Wellington, Mr A. W. Hogg writes from Mastorton:— "Iki common, with, someof my friends, you appeal 1 to be at a loss to undierstand why I hkve declined to' accept the testimonial wibidh it was proposed to present me in recognjltikm of my services to the 'Master-ton eiectoraite. I lilave been .told that I was too proud, too independent, and so forth. And yet in tibie past I' have been, the recipient of several testimonials', and I have accepted and regarded them as subsitanitiiali tokens' of the esteem in which) my services' wiere helld. On thus occasion no false pride on my pa<rt has actuated me in the course 1 have taken. My aim hais always been to assist my constituents, irrespective of creed or .colona', political or i-dligious, aud it is, T. believe, due tta this that I have so many friends and supporters. Bait you can, hardly imagine my surprise and annoyance wlrai I found under a heading in a conspicuous part of a looail paper the annoiincemfent that a testimlohilal was being promoted for my benefit, thait Mir Sykes, M.P., my opponent in the late election, was appointed a joint treasurer, and- that subscriptions woukl be received and acknowledged by a journal that Had systematically attacked me all during the recent electikm. What course could I take under the ciircuanstiances.? There was no pride in the matter. I wa,s; invited to saip humiliation and I refused. I am satisfied, you will see tluut, without Joss of self-resijieot, I coukl take no othar course than the one I adopted."