THE PREMIER AND MR.HOGG

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2635, 18 October 1909, Page 4

THE PREMIER AND MR.HOGG

A DRAMATIC SCENE

(Special to “Times. ) WELLINGTON, October 16. When Mr/Hogg rose in the House to speak on the Address-in -Reply yesterday evening, it was fully expected that he would make some allusion to his retirement from the Cabinet, ani he did so without reservation. He wag, blunt and metallic, 'and he created W sensation, though his utterances naturally created diverse impressions. The Premier, in rising to reply by way of personal explanation, spoke in calm but terse tones, and throughout his voice was subdued to a degree never before heard Not once did be raise his voice to its accustomed pitch. The scene was dramatic. It was a duel of justification and each combatant showed cold steeiv eyes, and at times used razoredged words. The'retort courteous was followed on each side by several other of Shakespeare’s various degrees of the “lie direct,” and even that was narrowlv missed, when each combatant asseverated in turn the contrary of the statement of the other m the matter of the policy of the Government. Adroitness in phraseology saved the position so far as the “last degree:’ was concerned. The .wordy duel winch ■was listened to with absorbing interest from crowded benches, was inconclusive, and the rights and wrongs of each or both wi 1 be decided according to party predilection. It is rarely that such a scene as was witnessed-on I'raday night has been presented on the’;, floor of the House.