The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1884. The Native Minister at Wanganui.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1391, 28 November 1884, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1884. The Native Minister at Wanganui.

Now that the session is over we may expect the usual series of speeches from Ministers, in the shape of apologies for past actions and enunciations of future policy. The ball has, indeed, already been opened, the Native Minister having spoken at a complimentary banquet given to him last evening by his constituents at Wanganui. What will specially strike the reader of the Press Association’s report of what was said on this occasion will probably be the fact that Mr Ballance made but comparatively slight reference to the department placed under his control. When it was announced that the member for Wanganui was to succeed Mr Bryce in the administration of Native Affairs, fears were expressed that he would make some attempt to reverse the policy of his predecessor—a policy that had undoubtedly met with the general approval of the colony. Fortunately, these fears proved to be unfounded, and Mr Ballance in the House recognised the services rendered by Mr Bryce, and stated his intention of following as closely as possible in the footsteps of one who may fairly be considered the most capable Native Minister New Zealand has ever had. That this “ praise from Sir Hubert Stanley ” was more than deserved there can be no question, and, coming from the lips of such an out and out Maoriphile as the member for Wanganui formerly showed himself to be, the compliment has a special value. At the same time, we are sorry to see that Mr Ballance, in reversing the decision

of the late Native Minister in minor

matters, such as the re-instatement of Ropata’s pension, he has acted with a certain amount of ostentation, which invests the question with a party spirit. When Mr Bryce was in office there was nothing more noticeable in his policy than his utter disregard of purely party considerations, he had a specific task set before him to do, and to all appearance the opinions of his colleagues were never allowed to interfere with his actions. So thorough was the confidence felt in his capability to deal with the native difficulty, that he was allowed to wield what was virtually the power of an autocrat, and the justification of this confidence is found in the statement made by the member for Wanganui last evening, to the effect that the problem which had troubled the colony so long “ had resolved itself into a question of settlement of land.” This was no doubt the .reason why Mr Ballan<sj, in speaking of native affairs, confined himself to the matter of the land, concerning which he stated th<r the intention was to establish Associa tions to take up the Country in blocks ot 5,000 acres. In the absence 01 farther details, it would be idle to criti cise this scheme, which on the face ol it is not only feasible but apparent!j the most satisfactory way, both to the Europeans and natives, of settling the land to be opened up by the Northern Trunk Line. It seems strange to hear an ultra-Radical like Mr Ballance saying a good word for the runholders, who are generally regarded by extreme politicians in the colony as the direct offspring of the Evil One, and that he should think them “ a most important part of the community, and their position worthy of every consideration” affords us another inI stance of the influence for good I wrought by association with a practical statesman like Sir Julius Vogel. The Premier and the Native Minister, judging from their antecedents, were considered to be the most unnatural allies of the present Colonial Treasurer, but if things go on as they have done, we shall yet live to see both of them as soundly Conservative in their views as the most ardent Tory could wish. As to the rest of Mi BALLANCE’s'speech of yesterday evening, it not call for much comment. He confinecj himself for the most part to speaking of the

legislation of the past session, referring specially to the Married Women’s Property Act, which he held to be an important social reform, an opinion generally endorsed throughout the colony. Mr Ballance did not give any indication of the

future intentions of the Government, but he said that the Premier would before long unfold the Ministerial policy in regard to taxation and local government. This announcement <vas on the whole the most important part of Mr Ballance’s address, and will cause the forthcoming speech of Mr Stout to be looked forward to with much interest, as it will deal with what is unquestionably a “burning” question in colonial politics at the present time.