THE NATIVE MINISTER AT WANGANUI.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 414, 2 December 1884, Page 2

THE NATIVE MINISTER AT WANGANUI.

<* [ A complimentary oanqnet was given to the Hon. J. Balance, Native Minister at Wanganui on Thursday evening, at which there was a very large attendance, including Mrßryce, M.H.R. In replying to the toast of the evening, Mr Ballance spoke o£ a measure which had passed last session, the Married Women's Property Act, which was of great importance, [t was a measure which had received cordial support from both parties. Every married woman in the Colony had now the same right to hold property and to deal in property as men had. He believed the time was not far distant when we should advance anohcr step and give every woman the franchise. He said tins to show that something had been done to advance in social progress. He next referred to the central line of railway running through the North Island, and then to the unemployed difficulty, the importance of dealing with which the Government fully recognised. It had been asserted i hat the un- ' employe:! difficulty was principally due and could be traced to persons of the working classes who indulged too freely in strong drink, and to loafers who did not work. But on enquiry the Government had found that the distress was not confined to these classes alone. Some of the better classes were also suffering, and even in some cases those who were employed. Under those circumstances the Government did not propose to continue immiirratioa until the surplus labor had been absorbed, and he believed that in the settlement of the land the difficulty would be solved. He then spoke of the charges which had been made against the Government of their unlimited borrowing proposals. He assured them the Government intended to borrow only so much as would complete the works already sanctioned by Parliament, and for such works as would be reproductive. He thought there was a great future for the industries of the Colony, which would be supported by the Government as far as possible. On the question of the defence of the Colony, the Government believed that while it would be impossible for any foreign power to hold any permanent position, it was their duty to place the harbors in a state of defence, and 10 depend upon the Volunteers. As regarded the purchase of Native lands, it was the intention of the Government in future to acquire land for settlement only upon a commercial principle, and the/ would not borrow money except for lands that would be made to reproduce at least 5 per cent of the purchase cost. Consequently the Native difficulty had resolved itself into simply a question of settlement of land. It was the intention oH the Government to establish laud associations that could take up land to the ex eit of 5000 acres. Kostiictions were to be placed on th« Native lands, so that the four and a half million acres on the line of the Central railway would not be available f r open purchase. This had met with the approval of the great Native chief Wahanui and of Major Kemp. If the Natives had been allowed to settle tueir own lands they would have tsvercome the greatest difficulty, and have become heartily co-operative in the work cf the Colony. The j astoral lands of the Colony should not be alienated. They represented 12,000,000 acres, and the revenue would yearly increase. It was the intention of the Government to cut the present large runs into smaller blocks. At the same time he recognised the fact that the runholders were a most important part of the community. Their position was worthy of every consideration. He approved of land settlement on a purchase extending over 10 years, the extent to be 100 acres, and on these conditions — namely, good land, proximity to market, and low price. The particulars of the system would be gazetted in a few days. The questions of local government aud taxation would shortly be referred to by the Hon. the Premier in Dunedin.