MR. A. W. HOGG.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4180, 1 August 1892, Page 3

MR. A. W. HOGG.

Inanis TCrborum torrens, —Quintillanns, Thirty or more yeara ago, given e warm Sunday afternoon, and you might have soon and hoard Hoggs ut nearly every street corner in the Eogliah cities. Wherever thoro waß a vacant plot of land and art aeh heap you were almost sure to find a Hogg —that ib, a man of Mr A. W. Hogg's political calibre —in occupation. These wore mostly large, well-fed, comfortably-coated man, with bit; voices ; and, Btanding on the ash heap 3, they roared—liko Bulls of Bash an they roared about the " sacred rights of labor," the absolute holiness of dirty bauds, tbe while annotating with much and greasy flattery the " 'orny-'audetl sons of toil," who smoking clay pipea contiguous, turned for the opening of the " pubs," and vaguely wondered by what new sort of moil " the gent a-jawin' " wrung paunch bo sleek and face so glossy from grudging Nature. Though Mr Eogg has declaimed at street corners in New Zealand, his chief roarings were in the paper he lately edited at Masterton. It was called the Star. There are different sorts of stars. This was one sort. In that festive sheet " mass" was Bet against " class" with tireless persistence, and with a wealth ot vitnperation and id a vernacular aii&e remarkable. If one tells his fallows they are poor worms trodden on by star-spangled villains in purple and Gne linen, and tells them so long enough and loudly enough, he will in time be believed, Because it is gratolul sud comforting to some minds to fancy, against knowledge, that tbeyare being wronged. For years before last election Mr George Beethaw tot for Masterton. He is a bloated squatter, but a mild, kind, easy man who made too cocksure of winning, 'lis ill being too sure when the fee has much voice, a good parrot-cry, and few soruplos about cmbods. Mr Hogg, a little to his own surprise, was elected. He went roaring down to Wellington with tba avowed object of making things snort. He caruo, be saw, ho found bis lovel. It was not a lofty level. One or two tastes of bia quality he gave the Uouno, then even Mr Hogg knew members pined not for his roar, which is raucous. He rose to roar. Members rose to leave. They left early and often, Mr Hoflg wrote that they were frightened. He wrote truth. They were frightened ; of him, his voice, and for the drums of their own ears.

Mr Hogg is a largish man, and a shiny in appearance. His complexion is ruddy, his eyes uneasy, It may be that certain modes of thought and speech have writ their sign-manua upon his countenance. Foe tbe rest he is as his Milker made him. I,' for one, am too reversnt to play critic to that Maker's handiwork. The man is shrewd of bis sort, persistent, not easily abashed, and fairly ready at retort, which is seldom retort courteous, He is a most inconsequent but strident and hectoring speaker. He acts on occasion as a kind of deputy' sub - assistant Government " cbucker-ont," Ho does not pretend tp tbe lighter graces of manner and diction. The bluff, hearty, rough-and-ready > Man of the People' is his r'oU. Nathleßs the coin rings dully. Such men may come towards the front in time of riot or strife, They quickly fall to rear and oblivion. They are sometimes appeased with a ganger's place, or, if of higher education, with a County Court judgeship. Then they become Tories. They lack the grim intent, the abandon, tbe scorn of death, which ho who would lead men when blood runs free must have. Just now a brief summer's political madness holds New Zealand. When that passes, Mr Hogg will pass from our political life as passes fog, sun-scoffed,— Ohrislchwrch Press.