HON MR BALLANCE ON MINISTERIAL LOYALTY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1637, 16 August 1887, Page 3

HON MR BALLANCE ON MINISTERIAL LOYALTY

Speaking at St John's last week Mr Baliance referred to remarks which have been made by the Wellington " Post " and Mr Bryce relative to his going to P-tea to support candidates who had apoken harsh things of Sir Julius Yogel, He pointed out that he went to Patea m response to a requisition signed by people of various shades of political opinion. He said that he had uot yet discovered tbat Mr M'Guire had said anything m the present election that would mako it impossible for bim (Mr Balance) to go there m his support, although it was true tbat Mr M'Guire had said that he did uot agree with Sir Julius Yogel on many suVjecto. Therefore the as.ertion of the Wellington [ apsi s was without four dat <n. Mr Bryce on the other band, eaid he went to support Mr Hutchison, and that Mr Hutch son lad repeated 1 1 • statement th t Sir Julius Yogel wis a political gambler. Sven though be had gone to support Mr Hutchison, he contended that there was no foundation for Mr Bryce 's statement that Mr Hutchison hal repeated that assertion at Patea during the present election. He quoted from a speech made by Mr Hutchison at Waverley to show that Mr Hutchison bad altered his views respecting Sir Julloa Yogel. and bad favorably compared Sir Julius Vo el'a finances with Major Atkinson's. Ha said it was not ttue that le suppot ted candidates to throw over his own colleagues. With regard to their positions as members of the Cabinet m relation to each other, it was true that some of them held views different from other members of the C-binet, bat members of a Cabinet were allowed to hold different shades of belief so long as they agreed upon the main issue, or questions of ihe day. Thera was no spirit of discussion iv the Cabinet but a complete spi 1. of loys'ty, and whatever m'ght be tbe result of the elections, they would stand or fall together. So far aB Sir Julius Yogel was concerned, his administration of the finances of tha country during the last three years had been distinguished by great ability and by great economy, a_d ao man who had known or had any conception of the work he had performed wonld for a single minute wi.h to separate from him. Those remarks ther. fore about disruptions m the Cabinet, and assertions that one colleague was trying to throw over another colleague, were moet reprehensible, aod deeerved severe coodemna- I tion. '