The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1908. MR HOGAN'S SPEECH.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12145, 8 September 1908, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1908. MR HOGAN'S SPEECH.

There can only be one opinion as to the address which Mr J. T. Hogan, M.P. for Wanganui, delivered at the Opera House last evening, and that is that it was a highly creditable deliverance. Mr Hogan modestly admitted thab he is practically a youngster in the political arena, but both the matter and the method of his speech bore evidence to the fact that he has not f tiled to profit considerably by his comparatively brief Parliamentary experience. On many important public questions we are at variance with Mr Hogan. With much that he said last evening we cannot agr,ee. We are convinced that in some essential respects the policy for which he stands would not, were it ever to materialise, prove to be in the best interests of the people as a whole. We regard him as too prone to skim the surface of great economic problems, too ready to pluck the gaudy theories of impracticable dreamers rather than to grasp the nettles which lie ready to the hands of practical reformers. Nevertheless, we admire him for the apparent honesty of his purpose, for his obvious faith in the medicine which he prescriJ>33 for the cure of the ills which afflict the body politic, and for his manly and consistent adherence to the principles which he enunciates. Whatever else he may be, Mr Hogan is, we believe, thoroughly honest and straightforward, and that in these days is something to be thankful for. As to the matter of his speech it was, for the most part, merely a recapitulation of the work of the past two sessions of Parliament, and a personal endorsement of the legislation which has been passed at the instance of the Government of which Mr Hogan is a supporter. . That he should put the best possible construction upon that legislation, and endeavour to endow it with virtues not apparent to less partial observers, is but natural, and is moreover in harmonious accord with the ethics of political oratory. He indulged, for instance^ in a picturesque speculation as to the incalculable bane•fits which posterity would derive when the nine million acres which have been, set aside as national endowments have been made to blossom as the rose, and to yield rich blessings to the old age pensioners of the dim and distant future; but he failed to show that these virgin wastes are going to be of any material value to the struggling, taxpayers of the present generation. ll* seemed to delight in regarding the graduated tax as a sort of instrument of torture admirably devised for the effective "roasting" of the big landowner. Equitably applied the principle may be irreproachable, but we cannot call to mind anything that Mr Hogan said which may be accepted as a reasonable justification for singling out one particular class of "fat man' r for, sacrificial taxation. Then as to what

may be described as the crucial land legislation of last session, that is the Act affecting tenures, Mr Hogan was anything but happy and far from convincing With visible hesitation he admitted that the Government had "to some extent" gone back on the principles originally affirmed by Ministers, and then, as if to qualify the admission, he proceeded to show that tho right; of purchase which had been conceded to Crown tenants at the point of the Opposition bayonets amounted in reality to no concession at all. Mr Hogan may not have intended it, hut the obvious inference to be drawn from what he said was that the Crown tenants had besn tricked. One thing Mr Hogan made very clear, and that was that while he still approves of the principlo of land nationalisation, he has learned to regard it as "too obsurd" and too visionary to be included in the cataloguo of practical politics. It is not too much to hops that in time he will come to entertain the same eminently sensible view in relation to certain other Socialistic absurdities to which he is at present inclined to turn a sympathetic ear. It was pleasing to hear Mr Hogan declare that in his opinion it should be no part of the duty of a member of Parliament to have to participate in a periodical rough and tumble scramble for the "loaves and fishes,"- and that the allocation bf public money for public works should be removed altogether beyond the control of the Government of - the day. We fancy we have heard this j samo contention j-oiced many a time | and oft by the members of the.discredited Opposition! Need we say thnf. wo are fully in sympath,y with MrHogan on this point; and that we: should be delighted to have him go sil little further with us in the same/direie^ tion and advocate the establishment of % Civil Servica Board such as would plac^ the servants of the State beyond th& corrupting influence of political pat- c" ror-age ? For the rest, Mr Hogan wais careful to say that he was not there ta! open his election campaign. His mis-1 fiion was merely to give a plain and?; straightforward account of liis stewardship. He carried put: his purpose admirably. His language throughout was in excellent taste-^-even his little jibe p,t the vanishing Opposition was harmless and inoffensive—and was characterised by a studious v avoidance of anything approaching vulgar personalities or coarse abuse. Politically he has still a lot-to learn, but he is learning rapid-'i . ly, and last night lie made it abun-J, dantly evident that he has already a<£ quired a "lot of very useful knowledge.and experience., He dealt with ; the nur; : , merous questions which were submitted' to him in a manner which would have" boen esteemed creditable in many <)f his Parliamentary seniors, while so far as the mere parochial aspect of his stewardship is concerned he satisfied his" hearers that he has been by no meanian idlo and unsuccessful ,rejgresenta4J ' ",';V " ;^r-;:V*^!^}S-P;