POLITICAL ADDRESS

New Zealand Mail, 22 January 1902, Page 36

POLITICAL ADDRESS

MR HOGG AT MASTERTON. (Ey Telegraph.—Own Ccrre.spoiident.) , MASTERTON, January 20. Mr Hogg, M.H.R., addressed a meeting of electors in the Town Hall to-night Alter referring to the talse prophets of last election and the helplessness of the Opposition, Mr Hogg remarked that party government had disappeared, and the question now was one of personnel instead of political creed. He maintaiued that among new members the desire tor reform was ardent and the calibre of Parliament had not deteriorated. Amongst recent reforms he regarded the Bill establishing the right of the State to work the mineral resources of the colony as one of the most important pass,larlia,neut-. Referring to the Uoikers Compensation for Accidents Act Mr Hogg held it would be a benefit to farmers to insure their hands on the easy terms now offered. In spite of Ministerial opposition he had succeeded in getting the Rabbit Act so amended that laudowners were no longer at the mercy of officials. He expressed the opinion that there were provisions in the Factories Act which required further alteration, one bemg the clause prescribing Saturday as the half-holiday for women irrespective of any weekly half-holiday that might he allowed. Referring to the School Teachers’ Salaries Act. he said that as chairman of the RoyM Commission he was satisfied * A tl L e cri Ecism bestowed on the result of the Commission’s work. A scale that would give all-round satisfaction was not to be expected but he considered the Commissioners had done their best to improve the schools of New Zealand. Mr Hogg rCV at r. SOn l e le 2? th with the act ion of the Wellington Education Board in terminating the engagement of Inspector L ee - traced the origin of the trouble to the financial difficulties of the Board W hen he proposed to do away with the urer] CC lw f fl the , Chief Ins P/ctor he wasassured by the chairman of the Board that dohwfL m x? nd -r ed resi Kning. Instead of doing so Mr Lee commenced to "kick” and made serious charges against the Ir .°, submitted that his (colleagues and himself had performed a necessary duty, as it was -quite evident that the Inspector, after attacking the Board as he did, could no longer be its servant. Aff referring to the proposed Distnct High School in Masterton, Mr Hogg expressed the hope that a system of entrance examinations would be substitut-

ed for the present system so that the children of the poor and well-to-do would be treated alike. Referring to the land question, he said that in September last a deputation of members waited on the Government and pointed out that there were methods by which every acre of land held under lease in perpetuity could be converted into freehold and in special settlement blocks this had been freely taken advantage of. He asked if folly could go further than converting Crown lands in large areas into private property on one band, and buying back on the other at greatly enhanced .value for settlement purposes the estates of landowners ? He had never tried to conceal Ins views on the laud question, because thej were the result of mature deliberation. He claimed that landlordism was the yoke of the capitalist. If State tenants were made secure and happy, landlordism would soon disappear. The State should be the supreme custodian of the land and capital. The Advances to Settlers Office had regulated the price of money and had "scotched the dragon that lived on interest.” Why not do the same with the fellow that lived on rent." Land should be administered m accordance with natural law. The State having fixed the rental value of land should ret - uia s much of the proceeds of the rent as it could to be expended on ioad=, bridges, and other improvements. Speaking with reference to the trade of the colony, Mr Hogg stated that within the ’ast year or two there had been a serious falling off, and the effect was being felt. There bad been no decline in the quantity of exports, but values had fallen. In one year tliev bad a falling off of two millions in the value of exports and an increase of about two millions in the value of imports. If imports excecdc-d exports, how were they going to meet interest charges? A prudent course was to take in sail, to reduce expenditure and borrowing as well. Heavy borrowing was surrounded by temptations to spend unwisely, and he feared that they were doing so. He was afraid the Administration bad entered on a career of extravagance that would involve the colony in difficulties. The term extravagance did not simply apply to the Government; it was due to private, as well as public, extravagance that the imports were mounting up. Ninetenths of the articles for sale in the shops and warehouses of the colony were imported. Besides cultivating wasteful habits, they were leaning too much on the foreign manufacturer. They should manufacture for themselves instead of allowing others to manufacture for them. He submitted that a scheme of national co-operation would enable the artisan and producer to work for the common benefit without the intervention of the shipper or the middleman. The solution of the wool problem was, in his opinion, the establishment of large woollen mills within the colony, which should produce extensive exports. In the price of sheep, which exhibited singular fiuctuations, Mr Hogg could see no reason why farmers should not combine and have mutton frozen at municipal abattoirs, graded at Government stores, and shipped and sold under Government ausxiices in towns containing prescribed populations. Public markets under proper supervision and regulations should be established. Mr Hogg made lengthy reference to the working of Government departments. The weak point in the system ot representative government was that political beads were apt to become mere figureheads. Parliament had been doing its best to turn out good legislation, but the departments did not work satisfactorily, and the expenditure seemed to increase without giving fair return. The gaols, lunatic asylums, hospitals and charitable institutions needed overhauling. Some of the departments were either paralysed or congested, and the Defence Department was virtually a "dead letter office ” Referring to the estimates, Mr Hogg said money was voted in a manner that, was amazing. Last session a few members including himself, refused to be Ministerndden. They "bucked” against the increase of big salaries, but in vain. Votes were carried by Ministers with the assistance, chiefly, of the Opposition. Dealing with defence, Mr Hogg expressed the opinion that the colony was spending too LVX 1 pla T 1 ?° at soldiers. The expenditure on defence was this year nearly double what it was last. Far more than Xf/Lw aFar M or r °ads and bridges was \oted for military waste. A few -ears ed°tW « r * mier and bis colleagues boastirl y ™ re ab]e t 0 furnish money revenue IC gfi from « le consolidated tTTT i What T ere tb c.v doing now s required a strong hand to pull tbe milltal 7 quicksand. Dealing wuh the South African war, he said that no war in which the British army had been engaged for the last century was | 10re deplorable in its The , eu ri tha e t o ha?f a L IVeS ? f won “ ed wifk 5- lak ® n place must be regardtS, a L r tliao ! as* si ! had been a success i yst9m ; 'was to be regretted 3 dlstn ct. It been°treated V?^ 0 "" 8^ Pass legislation f-?; "I, 6 Gc ™rnment to ! strikes. Ind then by a r m PreTention of Of works and sudden suspension ?™"i ik d i P °y

likely to prove reproductive as well be postponed. The sudd pension of public works was a m BQ *- labourers and settlers that ad m lfe *•' no excuse The amount appr^S** M road works was grossly inademW* fot only a fraction of the Ippro&tion expended. In conclusion Mr **• that in the past the Ministry had den! service, but now seemed drifting ml 80 ? 1 the rocks. There wis too mucfc ards ing and far too much wasteful ture This should give way to firmnw*' members should not be general cost. It was due to in cr £Lr 9 expenditure in less useful directions roads and bridges were starved and ™ thrown out of employment. At a t? 61 like the present prudence was neces™?? and the brake would have to be anDlW?’ At the conclusion of the address a nnw ber of questions were asked and answered" and a vote of thanks and confident Jv’ carried by acclamation. 6 Waj