Mr. J. T. Hogan at Sedgebrook

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11727, 30 November 1905, Page 7

Mr. J. T. Hogan at Sedgebrook

Mr Hogan addressed the residents of Sedgebrook for the second time last evening. There whs a good attendance, i.icluding many ladies. Mr Blanch was ■e'ected chairman, and briefly introduced the candidate. Mr Hogan was accorded a warm reception on rising to speak. After stating his reasons for again visiting Sedgebrook and expressing his pleasuie at once more meeting the electors of that district, he proceeded to place his views on tho political questions before them. He wished to see the present Government kept in office, and thought it would be a mistake to change. He would support the Government, and work for the people. In dealing with defence matters, he was of opinion that we should have a better trained Volunteer force, even if we had to have a smaller one. This force should be for the purpose of training officers, and every officer in it should come from the ranks. Officers in command of battalions should have an honorarium of at least ,£SO a year, and the other staff officers might also receive a smaller "allowance. > lie believed in having- a better-trained force than the one we had, not for fighting- purposes, but to train officers to handle men. Be had no fault to find with the- mon composing the Volunteer force, in fact many of them were equal to anything produced anywhere. However, after nineyears' experience, he was in a position to say that the Volunteers were not treated properly. It was the system he attacked, and ho would attack it if returned to Parliament. More encouragement should be given to Volunteers, and if possible they should receive a little pay. He often wondered while he was in tho service what Volunteers saw in it to give up so much time for. He believed in giving a rifle to every man outside the force who wanted one, and letting him have plenty of practice. This would make us a nation of shots, and when the mon were wanted the highly-trained force could draw on the outside shots, and a few weeks" drill in the hands of capable officers would g*tvo us a good force. In addition to that wo should have a few torpedo-boats around our coasts. The torpedo was the instrument that did the damage, and costly battleships were unnecessary. Mr Hog-in believed in, peace, and wanted to so-? all nations in harmony with one another, and he considered militarism a curse. He wished to see international arbitration, but in the meantime the policy of nations is to keep peace by being always prepared for war. He hoped yet to see this policy altered. Mr Hogan's land policy waa placed before the audience and evoked applause, as did also his remarks on education, coal mines, railways, flour mills, and taxation. The candidate briefly dealt with the Liberal split, and was loudly applauded for the stand he took. On the motion of Mr McLachlan, seconded by Mr Dudley, Mr Hogan was unanimously accorded a voto of thanks for his address and confidence as a fit and proper person to represent Wanganui in Parliament. A vote of thanks to the chair closod tho meeting.