MR HOGG IN REPLY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10543, 27 January 1912, Page 5

MR HOGG IN REPLY.

{To The Edilor.H Sir, — I rarely recognise tho anonymous correspondent, because fighting shadows is* a waste of time - bud effort. But the art/tact on Mr <MJoLaren and myself by "A Waking ■ Mian" in your columnb neoesFitates, .' a brief reply. Let me' Way in tin- first ' ' place that ,"A. Working Man" ii, a"working humbug," and here is the (proof. If he was a working man he would, according to" Mb profusions, be a member of the Master^' LaJb>our Party, and if he were a 1 -ber of that party he would attend 'is meetings and have it out with Mr Hogg "face to. face, instead of writing nonsensical twaddle and getting it into print. No "working man" or memiher of the Labour party I trust nmould act the cuttle-fish and rely on an ink-bag to cover his identity.* But whlat does he Bay? "I cannot understand nhy it is that Mr Hogg is stiH isifeting on the fence." Jf your corlospondent'y understanding was not like his 'eyesight—'Weak and unTeli- " able—he would know Mr Hbgg, being neither a ifool nor an acrobat, has never-learned or practised the art of sitting on a fence a-nd looking comfortable. "A Worldmc; Man" wiH <!hiave*to adjust hip spectacles. Then he * continues, "If Mr Hogg wants the support, or wants to support the Lai hour Party, why does he not sign the Labour pledge?" Mr Hogg is a be- , liever in freedom and independe*' "" Ho has never worn handcuffs; he has never signed a pledge of ciny kind ex-r cept in connection with the marriage j ceremony; but he has always sup- , (ported the worker, and he -will eo»- ; timie to do so irrespective of any return or treatment he may have ait the , ihands. of any party. "Surely t<he last elections proved to both Mr Hogg and OVfir McLaren that hanging on to a -' wreck instead of getting into tlie proffered Ifife-fcoat meant to both these gentlemen a political cold bath." Acain the undemanding and eyesight of "A Wbrkir-p Man" must bo defective and unreliai. -\ Mr Laren and Mr Hogg depended on no .wreck,; they preferred tlie open ocean, , and swam bravely under 'trying' circumstances, despising the "proffered.lifeboat," and. spurning the temptation of the, Reform Party—a temp- ' tation almost as:. craftily 3 designed m tSia't which, is said in,? Scriptural Ms- ; ' Jfcory'to have 'been <o;(Pere& by a much : greater'celebrity than either Mr Mas- '">•. sey. Mr Herd-man," Mr Fisherjor Mr j -Buchanan. As regards the "political cold baths,"-.cold water is "bracing and refreshing, and Messrs Hogg and McLaren don't seem nuicli the worse for;\" it. "She remainder of your correspondent's contribution k. a, frantic and almost tearful appeal,to his "fellow workers," whoever they are, to - stand by "a pledged party man,'*\ 7 This.''Working" Man'' and. his follow . workers, with the aid of the Reform Party and • their motor .r-ars and a huge expenditure in various directions, 'have been. working the political oracle for all it is wort-li, but they will be wise to keep their joyful rallies under, a'/little restraint until the value of their stock-in-trade is ascertained by the impending sate of pledges in the Massey pawn-shop. When, the Advances'to Settlers Bill I was introduced, it will be remembered, Mr Massey objected to ■ a State pawnshop. By the strange irony of fij-te. he has jvow entered'.'into the onwhbroking business," and'expects by the aid: of pledged jroods to get on to the Treasury ben clues.— I am,.. etc ' : . AW, HOGO. Masterton, 26th January, 3.912*