MR HOGG'S PLATFORM

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2652, 20 July 1887, Page 2

MR HOGG'S PLATFORM

. [To the Editor.] Sir.—The platform which Mr Hogg has laid before tho electors of Maeterton, is not a very brond "ono,'; yet' it ttiuchoa several subjects, upon which the electors should not be oasily led away. His first plank, and the one upon which ho must nocosaavily dopoud. movq than upon thu others, is Protection. It will be noted that ho carefully avoids using the word; Like Mr Hawkins,, he is probably of opinion that it stinks in tho'nostriis of an Englishman, In place of it, he employs the less unsavory phraso, "encourage mont of local industries." .He adds tliat lie shall vote for it because it will givo full employment to capital and labor andattract more of- oacli to the Colony, i trust Mv Hogg-irt'ill' show us how these two things are likely to work' beneficially for the laboring man. Supposing, there is moro work and higher wagea would not. tho result bo that the. Colony would bo. flooded . with laborers; arid tlmt wages would then fall lowor than thoy wore before? Mr Hogg may deny tbiß, but every thinking man must seo that such o result iB a natural sequence.' Wages, in Victoria are not bo high as hero, and. men havo to work longer'hours there. But let me say what Btylo of encouraging local indußtriea . lueaus, without going ibto detail's. It uimms tho imposition of such a duty on " imported goods .that the local man'is able to nmko' tho tamo sort of goods at a profit to himself. Naturally •no chavyca tho samorate as the mip'ortof. If lie did not ho would reap no bonoiit frorii Protection, aud it might sb well bo left alono. The working man who now ■pays' twenty shillings for an article, ■ would, with a twenty-five per cent duty added, pay twonty-fivo shillings. Such is the chief plank of tho professed'' friend of the working man; I should like Mr Hogg to state at his meoting whether ho would he willing to havo a thitfy.three per cent duty put 011' printing paper. Tho answer would be worth having. Mr Hogg's ideas of improving land tiro just a triflo mixed if ho thinks that it can bo done by iinpoaing heavy taxation. Has not his own oxporionce show'uliira ere this that the best way to shut out capitalists is to impose differential rates of taxation, no matter in what direction ?. and can he show auy valid reason why the mau who lives comfortably on his means, but does r not own land, should not pay his share of direct taxes? He calls the present land laws liberal. I call them illiberal. It is the wish of every Englishman who cornea to tho colonies to acquire a freehold. Mr Hogg wants to abolish- freeholds. Is that likely to attract capitalists, or will there be a singlothrifty workinsfinan athis meeting who is prepared to say that ho would rather lease laud than buy it ? I hold that the colony is in such financial straits that it cannot afford to make expensive experiments suoh as those Mr Mlance has indulged in. Lot tho land be sold in Bectioiiß of suitablo area and keep the land-shark at a distance, and tho colony will soon recover from its presont depression, 1 may poiut out that the Wellington Manawatu Railway Company is at present having about ns big a land rovonue «b the Government. The idea of abolishing the Upper House is a very harmless fad. All who know- anythiug of Parliamentary work are well aware that it is a necossity, Mr Hogg's opinion is therefore not likely, to find much support. 1 have yet to loam what Mr Hogg means by his seventh plank. .It would not be a littlo amusing if we were to find anyone bold enough to advocate the resuscitation of provincialism, 1 suppose I shall hear to-night (Wednesday). There are two planks out of the nine, on which Mr Hogg intends to Btand, that arc sound; a third may bo safe, and tho rest are simply rotten, They havo boon put together' merely bucauße all tho- better material has been appropriated by others,'and becauso 'Mr Hogg delighte in looking through'a prism. In conclusion permit me to ask Mr. Hogg a question. Report saya that ho gave a distinct promise to Mr Hawkins that ho' would support Mm in case Mr MoCardle retired; Will lie doiiy' this at liis" mooting ? '. I am, &c„- • [OSOTOS.