The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, JULY 22, 1887. MR A. W. HOGG'S MEETING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2654, 22 July 1887, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, JULY 22, 1887. MR A. W. HOGG'S MEETING.

Mr A. W. Hoqg may fairly be congratulated upon the success of his meeting on Wednesday evening last. Every effort had been made to secure a good house and a favorable hearing for the convener of the gathering, A well-drilled committee, distributed among the audience, led the applause at short intervals, though once or twice they missed their cue and the' orator waited in vain for the cheers that ought to have come in at certain stages. Then again a juvenile corps of hooters and yellers undertook the duty of surprising anyone who might 'offer to oppose or criticise the hero of the hour. The speech itself was a fair democratic delivery, and made up in length for what it lacked in depth. It has been said that the strength of the chain is the strength of its weakest link .and if we apply this test to Mr Hogg's address, it will, be believe turn, dut to be a somewhat fragile reed for a- working man to cling to. The weak link with Mr Hogg, however; oame in not with the' prepared cut and dried speech, but with the part which was coiled up out of sight. It was noticed that when Mr Hogg was questioned about an alleged promise given to the Catholic party he was considerably disturbed and, that he made an unsuccessful effort to fence with the subject. At last he was forced to admit that he, had given a conditional promise to the' Catholic party, and no one doubted but that on the education question Mr Hogg had absolutely committed himself to Denominationalism. Now, if the Liberal Party of which Mr Hogg is the local champion, has one fundamental plank—lt is 'Secular Education,' and Mr Hogg has evidently betrayed the principles of his party for the sake of,a handful of Catholic votes. He may possibly go down yet to the House as a recruit to the Liberal ranks, and as a.subaltern to Sir Robert Stout,; who has declared that he would abandon his political career sooner than Mow the education system to be tampered with, but he will go down branded as one who has, on this leading question, been a traitor and a renegade to his liberal principles. The Liberal Party of this district has in turn brought forward Mr Eenall, Mr McCardle,-and Mr A. W. Hogg. We venture to say

that the Catholic Party never ventured toask'Mr Eenall for the concession which is now .promised to thorn'* and y/o venture to say that Mr McCardle, if asked, would not accede to such a request, Mr A. W. Hogg appears, however, tohavejswalldwed the Oatholio bait without the slightest ■ hesitationMessrs Eenall and McCardle had perhaps but few surplus scruples, but they did draw a line somewhere. Mr Hogg, it would appear, is altogether untram'molled..-Howevavif the Liberal; party in thiajdistrict are prepared to sacrifice one.of their leading planks to secure a few' votes, we do not complain, we only learn the commercial value of their most cherished principles,