A Challenge.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13529, 10 November 1911, Page 8

A Challenge.

TO THE EDJTQ«r\

Sir,~Evidently<;it hath become a matter of course, for) biisi ness men in. these days to have to shoulder, a considerable amount of abuse from, a t certain,, section of the community, more especially at election time; i froth s ■■ aspirants. fori the ! honourable position of niembcr , of ' It is: 'also possible to stand ‘ a certain amount of abuse, but when abuse becomes" a caluinny . it: is then time,, for. those tfho are referred to W defend themselves* Evidently (at least, aa‘ far as Mr Hogan'is concerned), all business men should • bewiped off the face, olriour .earth . and all business should be rnii under State control. As the State coal is evidently Mr Hogan’s “pet” experiment under State control, therefore that particular business isfbeing continually dished up as an. example. It has also been the usual custom, for the coal merchants to have to stand: as targets for thenumerous-shots: bred, especially, by.’ Mr. Hogan; "So far much abuse has been overlooked and put down as simply electioneering vote-catchers, but Mr Hogan takes ■ it'upon himself to;go further by making certain remarks at the Opera House, which ip iny ■ mind casts a certain ramount of-reflection; upon the local coal merchants.. Such remarks I wish; to challenge. In Mr. Hogan’s opening address he made mention that certain rumours had. been ; circulated by persons who did not, know what they, were talking about (to whom he was referring to I do not know nor care); He also challenged such- persons to- go upon -the stage and prove such statements. At the samp time Mr Hogan specially mentioned that he was prepared to prove all his statements with facts. Well, sir, my, ob ject. is to challenge certain statements made by",him) Mr Hogan stated that the-people of Wanganui had saved ,£IO,OOO through the fact of the State coal depot being opened in Wanganui, which :he gives, the credit of reducing the price of coal, feince Mr Hogan is prepared to back, up-all his statements with facts, ! challenge him to, prove the above statement. If he can do go; I am, although not of' too ’ charitable a. nature, prepared to pay £5 towards Mr Hogan’s election expenses for the trouble which ho may.be put to on my. behalf ;• but if he fails'l will expect him to pay thje same, amount to. homo charitable-fnstU tution. I. w.ill also, go father. ' ;If' Mr Hogan will, a,ccept i'my challenge I .will promise him that I will undertake to prove that, if the local. State coal depot is a fair sample of .business’run under State control, which we hear so much about (with all due respect to the staff, who.- are quite, capable),; then it is no credit to the Government or Mr Hogan, and the less. he has to say about it the better,— I am, etc., F. A. HAEKNESS.