PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESSES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5052, 15 June 1895, Page 3

PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESSES.

MR HOGG AT PAHIATUA,

«£v Telegraph.—■ Own Correspondent, Pahiatiia, Saturday. Though the weather was inclement, au audionce of over two hundred, including a number of ladies, met Mr Hogg, M.H.R., at tho Olympic Theatre, Pahiatiia, last evening, tho Mayor (Mr Job Vilo) presiding. Mr Hogg began his address by acknowledging the practical compliments he hud received since tho last general election from his constituents, Ho also referred to the recent inspection of the district by the Minister of Lauds whoso illness. lie much regretted and to whoso worth he bore testimony. The Advances to Settler's' Office was a great achievement and ho claimed credit for having taken an active part in Matating for the boon now conferred on the settlers of the Colony. During the last four years a largo minibayif small settlers had been placed 40516 land aud over a million acres acquired from the natives. Last year £367,000 had been appropriated for roads and bridges, and despite tho opinions of Sir R. Stout, who predicted that it would lead to increased taxation, he considered the expenditure would be most reproductive. Ho considered a UNIVERSITY AT WELLINGTON unnecessary, because they had too many Universities already, and he , held that an ounce of butter was better than a yard of Latin. The Civil Service should bo open to all who passed the School standards—the sou of the country settlor as well as the son of tho City merchant. ] 31eat,tnilkaud food generally should be subject to inspection by competent , experts, and he thought the police ] might bo "trained to do this impor- | taußjork. Instead of Temperance | people urging prohibition, which he . considered unattainable, they should j try to reform the habits of the . people, secure for the publican his > Sunday's rest, and emancipate the ( trade by making agreements between , merchants, brewers and licensees , invalid and illegal. He disagreed , with those who thought there had been too much Labour Legislation, t The protection of the lives, health, , nndearningsoftheworkersdemanded s laws for their protection. Of this [ tho recent tragedy in Mastortoii t was a powerful object lesson. v Through the co-operative system ( and the

DEPARTMENT OF UllOUli, men and women were receiving the lielp they needed. If the Shop and Shop Assistants' Act was working badly, it must be remembered that it had beer, roughly treated by the Legislative Council. The Government could not remedy the unemployed evil in the midst of universal distess. The present state of the labW market was doubtless due partly to the reduced incomes of the settlers who bad to contend with falling markets. But if it was true that some large landholders were reducing their hands in order to convince them that they had chosen bad rulers, all he could say was that these men were manufacturing a whip for their own carcases, He meant to do what he could to get not merely the sheep returns but labour returns on stations published, so that owners of large areas might be brought face to face with their responsibilities. The state, he considered, was duty bound to place within the reach of every individual, the means of securing a home and living on the land. At the same time an Undesirable Immigrants Bill would be. necessary to prevent the Colony being deluged with cheap labour and a pauper or diseased class from tho older councolonies around them. He referred to the producers as the

BACKBONE OF THE COLONY, and said they were in the hands of the doctors at present, but he believed ' the ultimate effect of their sufferings would 1)0 beneficial. The currency question demanded attention and it was quite possible that the of gold in England would lead to the establishment of State Banks in the Colonies. He pointed out that the landlords of England and Europe whose rent rolls were at stake were desperately contending •with the Colonial producers. The time was approaching when the Colonies would each possess its own mercantile navy. He referred to the school excursions, reductions on « railway freights for timber, firewood, etc., the concessions to village and special settlers, and the local improvements in which he had lent bis ssitancs. He looked forward to sonS important reforms in connection with Local Government, ■ the establishment of 1 State fire Insurance, the nationalisation of coal mines, and the establishment of a steam service between tho South Island and Wellington, He considered

THE CIVII, SERVICE should be subject to popular control, and the Charitable Aid system must be altered. There was at present virtually no opposition. There were several aspiring leaders, but they had no following, and their productions were addled eggs. In the face of their declarations of no confidence, in Wellington, the hot-bed ofCon- « servatism, .the Hon, Mr Seddon and the Hon, Mr Ward were about to be feted, and the members for the City were looking on with the anxious gaze of mournful hens when the newly-hatched ducklings take to the I water.

At the conclusion of the address, whiqhgas frequently applauded, Mr, " HogifTn reply to questions said he did not support the Elective Executive and Referendum Bills, because 'the present state of representative and party Government was working very well, and he feared the change proposed would be more mischievous than beneficial. He was i aware that the administration of the Advances to Settlers Act, was regarded with dissatisfaction by many of the applicants,but the-lend-ing Board had to exercise great caution, and if—as ho expected—- ' the result of their operations disappointed the opponents of, sthe Cheap Money scheme, it was possible that tho rate of interest might be reduced further ' than at present, He did not support tho measure for the admission oj women to Parliament, becauso ii : had not been asked for by the ladiei of New Zealand, and he would nof # accopt such a demand from Dr, Newman,-(Great Laughter). Ho was in favour of tho abolition of I grand and common juries, provided! a competent Bench were established! intJfcplace, but without further wnsnfcration, ho would not pledge v, himself to vote for the abolition of ■ capital punishment. On tho motion of Mr A. Vf. Gould, who made a highly corapli-

mcntnry speech, seconded by Mr A. Stowart, J.P., Mr Hogg was warded, by acclamation, a yote of thanks and confidence,