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MR. A. W. HOGG AT MASTERTON. (DY TELEGn.U?H. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Mastertcn, Juno 18. Mr. A. W. Hogg, M.P., delivered a prcsossional address liore to-nisht. Thoro was a small attendance. Mr. P. L. Hollings (the Mayor) occupied the 'chair. The speaker, dealing with tho work of last session, said the Premier had astonished a , good many .by. tho important legislation lie , had introduced and passed. Tho land 1 monopolist had received a sovero shaking up. If nothing else had been done beyond ; tho land legislation passed into law, a good . session's work would have been done. Tho i graduated tax introduced by tho lato John Lallanco, but left for nearly twenty years 1 unused, had been employed as a weapon • against monopoly, and in 1910, when the increase or graduation begins, tho. owners ot large estates would' begin to learn that tho locking up of land in huge areas was nil expensive luxury. Tho system of valuing land taken compulsorily had been altered, tli9 owner being allowed to fix his own value. At this price, plus 12 per cent, bonus, it could be taken by tho Crown. It the value was oxcessivo, tho land tax would bo proportionate. The > lease ill perwhich had . been abolished at the instigation of some of the Crown tenants, was on© of tho best tenures ever "devised for onabling tho worker with little or r.o capital to secure a home on the lands. Land scrambles had .been abolished at ballots y 1 ,• P, referenc6 given to landless and oligiblo applicants. The cstab-. ljshmont of the principle of limitation of area would havo a most important effect in checking tho growth of large estates and keeping land well distributed. He defended the national endowment, arguing that as public works were extended tho reserves would grow in value, and pointing out what the trust_ lands in Masterton had done for local institution. LABOUR LAWS. Although some of the-labour Jaws of New Zealand were denounced, ho maintained tfcafc they had greatly improved the condition of employment in factories, increasing tho security of life and iimb, and protecting tho health of tho workers. Trades unionism lie designated the natural product of industrial education, bringing the capitalist and wageearner face to face. These interests unfortunately wore apart, hence the trouble at Blackball and Auckland. Ho had suggested to the Minister for Mines that the Blackball strike could easily be terminated by the Government taking, over, the mine, and the tramway friction in Auckland would be unlikely to occur if tho City Coroporation did it's dii(*y. and worked tho street .traffic for tho public advantage. Friction in Masterton and the country towns was due to tho amalgamation under one award of city and country workers. Tho circumstances differed and there should bo separate awards. Ho deprecated the stirring up of strifo amongemployees in the country by city emissaries, and referred _ to the recent proceedings ofthe Conciliation Board as farcical and mischievous. Tho latest meeting of tho Board in Masterton had proved a fiasco, neither workers ' nor employers turning up, and ho was not surprised at tho Chairman of the Board (Mr. O'Rcgan), whom be greatly respected, resigning from it altogether. SOCIALISM. There was a great outcry about Socialism, but genuine Socialism properly .defined simply aimed at a just and ( equitable distribution of property and labour, and should not be condemned. If the opponents Qf 'Socialism and Liberalism ineant to succeed they must closo the school, establish a censorship of the Press,/and abolish universal suffrago in favour, of a property qualification and plural voting. Tho classes 110 longer ruled the masses, becauso national,education was helping the toiler and burden-bearer to assert his rights. COST OF LIVING. Ho did not consider the Stato was doing its duty to the worker. If it were, State eoal at cost price would bo distributed everywhere, tho cost qf buildings and rents would bo reduced, duties on farm products that constituted tho necessaries of life would be removed, and then wages of tho unskilled I labourer would bo made commensurate with • the cost of living. Ho strongly denounced tho duty ,oii flour, which ho designated a 1 bread. tax, and recounted the efforts- ho had made to get it abolished. Referring to tho duties 'on farm and dairy products, together with articles in common use, such as soap and candles, he said a tollgato was erected in front of every mouth for 110 good 1 object savo to enable merchants and middle- < men and speculators to corn'cr tho food of tho pecple, and mako enormous profits. Butter, ho pointed out, was.sold in the London 1 market at Is. per lb., supplied by co-opera-tivo dairy factories within this district at 10id., yet tho consumer had to pay Is. 3d. to Is. Sd. Moat was treated in the same way. Tho masses were, being compelled to demand at tho hands of the State and tho municipal bodies control of an active kind over production.
HOSPITALS BILL. Alluding to the proposed Hospitals and Charitable Aid Bill, he said it was manifestly unfair that a district like Wairarapa should he,associated as regards hospital administration- with tho city of Wellington, and if any injustice of tho kind was attempted it should be resisted to the utmost. The district had suffered onough over charitable aid without losing the'control of its hospitals. CONCLUSION. In conclusion, Mr. Hogg referred to the absence of Crown land, and tho increasing earth hunger. In his electorate certain Na° tivo blocks, lie trusted, would shortly be made available, and ho warned occupied of estates, who wore disinclined to make reasonable terms with' tho Land Purchaso Board, .that the single tax was flashing in front, and they would do well to allow their properties to bo closely settled. Ho paid a special compliment to tho energy and enterprise of -his constituents, and 'said 110 felt honoured in being allowed -to represent' a district that was malting steady ana continuous headway and sotting an example to the rest of the Dominion.
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Bibliographic details
Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 228, 19 June 1908, Page 5
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1,001PRE-SESSIQNAL ADDRESS. Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 228, 19 June 1908, Page 5
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