MR. HOGAN'S SPEECH.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13527, 8 November 1911, Page 6

MR. HOGAN'S SPEECH.

At tha Opera House. (Continued from pajge 5.) —i people, to point out a better record in the House than his, particularly in regard to local matters, or to. show that he had ever sacrificed principle to party. He had been one of the most independent men in the House, as a reference to division, lists would show, and if anyone could show that he had ever cast a vote against the; interests of the masses of the people he. jvould retire from the present contest. - Mr Hogan then resumed his seat amid loud and enthusiastic applause, which had been frequent throughout his speech. QUESTIONS.' Replying to questions, Mr Hogan said: Official figures were issued by officers of Departments, not by the i The area of native land left to be settled an Wanganui and Waitotafa Counties was only about 140,000 acres. He had cast about ten votes in favour of the Elective Executive. He hOKeved in compulsory military training, but to the age ot 23. "He jnissed the last radway deputation to the Minister because he had to come to Wanganui to receive a deputation from the Engine-drivers’ and Firemen’s Association. .

There was a difference between getting votes on the Estimates and getting them spent.. An example Mr James Allen gave of the expenditure of large amounts was Wanganui, which had a record of 108 per cent, of its votes for public works spent. He did riot believe Mr Fowlds. was in favour of a new party, but a reorganisation of the Liberal Party and the Ministry, as he (Mr Hogan) favoured. A third party would he absolutely useless He was -the .first member of the House to present a petition in, favour of a conscience clause in the Defence Act. Such a clause was put in ,as applied to one church,, and if any other church desired, it he would support it. He would support a universal Saturday half-holiday. He was not in favour of the bare majority in No-license or Prohibition polls. He was not iu favour of preference to Unionists. . . . He was not in favour of a grant to denominational schools. - The policy of John Hallance included the sale of Crown lands, though' he knew that Mr Ballance, in his heart, was a, land nationalise?..' The present Government had put aside for all time an endowment of some nine million acres for education and charitable aid. He favoured State having political rights with proper safeguards, thpugh there, were some to whom these rights could :riot be given. He supported. the present Government only because it was the best Government he could seC on the horizon. The land policy, of. the. Government was determined by the people, "who could alter, it in any way they, wished by sending men to Parliament v who would vote as the people

desired. If the, people sent a member'to Parliament pledged to preference for Unionists lie would only be throwing- dust in their eyes.. Not a single workers' fepressnfafive in the House had ever asked for a division on it. , .

Once an Arbitration Court was set up uo member' of Parliament nor the Govern-ment-could, Or ought, to interfere with-it. He would be in favour of remitting'the duty on boots, and making it up- by a duty on motor-cars. The' PublioVgjhsvicft was‘being classified, but there had; not been time to ascfetain if it were satisfactory. He thought classification, which moved men up automatically tended to destroy initiative and individuality. ... ' ’ He thought promotion should be guided by efficiency every tiine. He did not know last election the Government' was" going to bring in a Bill' to give the freehold to Crown tenants, hut when the Government did bring it oh he was one of the 26 who opposed it, and forced the Government not to go on with it/ . ■

Ho jliad said six years ago that, he hoped ; to see the duty. on tobacco reduced by is per lb, but the majority of the members 'of the House did not see the, matter in .the same light.. He had supported the super tax on tobacco only because, it was meant to bo of a temporary nature, and it had now ceased to operate. Mr.,H. Pedwell, then moyed, and Mr T. B. Williams seconded, a vote of thanks to -Mr Hogan, fdr his address, which was carried by.. acclamation, the meeting closing with the .usual compliment to the chair, i

THE INVERCARGILL SEAT. (Per: United Press Association.) ‘ i INVERCARGILL, November 6. The. Invercargill News -publishes an article and editorial, comment thereon regarding the split, of ■ the local Labour Party over the candidate of Mr Ear rant as Labouii representative at the general election, paper hints at the jealousy of. another Labour man who was not chosen. l| has been an, open' secret for, borne time {that Mr Earrant has not the united Lahbur Party behind him,, and ho already has been publicly twitted with lack of uucterstanding of the platform of the Labour Party. th! clutha seat. 1 HTTXEDTN, November 7. . The Staiv siys that Mr Angus McDonald McDonald, Alert of the Clutha' County Council, will be the Ministerial, candidate for that seat.l ■ . • •