Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Quarter of a Century.] TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1902. ME HOGG HOISTS THE DANGER SIGNAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 7061, 21 January 1902, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Quarter of a Century.] TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1902. ME HOGG HOISTS THE DANGER SIGNAL.

In Mr Hogg's speech, last evening, an enormous amount of ground was covered, but much of it was old familiar soil, which everybody has known for years. Mr Hogg's political creed is much the same now as when lie first entered Parliament. His judgment may be riper and his experience wider, but his cardinal principle remains unaltered, and he again expressed it last evening when he said " It is the duty of the State to help the worker." It will be noticeable that in the term "worker" he includes the Small Farmer. This is the Alpha and Omega of his political creed; and, strange to say, we do not object to it, although we differ so widely from the member for Masterton on very many political topics. In this Colony the employer and the large farmer are fairly independent of State help. We, as an employer, realise this; and we do not object to Mr Hogg being the champion of the employe' and the small farmer. We are also aware that the State cannot injure the employer without also injuring the employe; and that it cannot injure the large farmer without also injuring the small fanner. Mr Hogg kuows this also, and for this reason we are not afraid of him doing any permanent injury to the employer or to the large farmer. The special interest of Mr Hogg's i speech rests rather upon his denunciation of an Administration of which he has been a loyal supporter for many years. When a Liberal of Liberals in his position declares that " It would have been well for the Colony if the Administration had exhibited a reasonable amount of foresight and caution during the last year or two," it is evidently time for Mr Seddon to pack his carpet bag. It is not an enemy, but a friend, who tells the Premier that his Government is reckless and short-sighted, and that it is plunging the Colony into debt and into difficulties. " "We have entered upon a career of extravagance," cries Mr Hogg, and Caesar Seddon folding his toga round him may well say, Et tit Brute. It is true that Mr Hogg refers to private as well as public extravagance; but is not the public extravagance responsible for very much of the private extravagance ? Does not the Premier of to-day want live times the income of the Premier of ten years ago ; and is he not our exemplar ? " I tried to take charge of the Department, but the Department took charge of me." These words Mr Hogg puts into the mouth of a Minister of the Crown, and constitute another count against the present administration. We arc not informed as to the Department specially referred to. It may even be the Defence Department, which Mr Hogg calls a " Dead Letter Office," and almost suggests the idea as to whether wo have not formed an incorrect estimate of the Minister of Defence. We have assumed that " the dog wags the tail;" whereas it may be that "the tail wags the clog," even though the dog be that splendid mastiff, Mr Seddon. What can be more severe than Mr Hogg's assertion " That tho Government havo left the safe lines of the Liberal Party laid down ten years ago." There appears to exist still in tho House a remnant of the oldLiberalGuard which fought '■ under Mr Ballance, and this remnant seems likely not to form a new Liberal I party, but to go back to their old faith. It is not Mr Hogg, but the Government ■ | j which is disloyal to the tenots upon 1

which tho party eamo into power. It is tiic Government whichhas " ratted" from tho old Liberal party. When Mr Hogg continues, " My duty is to consider the interests of the Colony first and tho welfare of tho Cabinet second," wo can shake hands with him; for this has always been our own pet point of view. Mr Hogg evidently recognises that the interests of tho ' Ministry arc at the present time antagonistic to tho interests of the Colony, and is prepared to stand by the latter. Hitherto Mr Hogg has been ticketed throughout tho Colony as a Government supporter, whose vote has been safe on all occasions. It seems to us that in hisspccchlastevcning the Member for Masterton has torn this ticket off.

The tender point with Mr Hogg appears to be " Roads and Bridges," and his soreness on this is excusable. The Ministry have been wont to put twenty thousand pounds on tho Estimates for his electorate, and then to spend five ; and of this live much has been wasted on red tape. Mr Hogg has seen money poured forth like water for less useful and necessary purposes ; and his soul is in arms against tho neglect of the Administration as regards the crying needs of the up-country settlor. "The Cabinet should cultivate a backbone;" he says,and what will Mr Seddon say to this? ' And if this be not a sumcient blow with his dexter list, Mr Hogg slips in his left with " There is too much borrowing " —another facer for the Premier. Then tho member for Masterton gets his blood up and hits all round. " The expenditure on railways is excessive 1" What do you say to this, Sir Joseph Ward? Ie is an old familiar friend who is speaking, and not a Conservative opponent! When the last general election took place, we ventured to express an opinion that Mr Hogg had tho confidence of this Electorate, but the Government had not got its confidence. On that occasion Mr Hogg carried the Government through on his back triumphantly ; but wo wonder whether in December next he will do tho same. If he does, his speech of last evening means less than we take it to express.