The Southern Cross. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. Invercargill, Saturday, April 29.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 5, 29 April 1893, Page 8

The Southern Cross. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. Invercargill, Saturday, April 29.

A leader of the people has fallen; The Hon. John Ballance, Premier of the colony, is dead. After battling with heroic fortitude against the inroads of an internal malady, which first declared itself during last session, the sufferer recently underwent an operation. He made what is known as a good recovery, but his strength had been, sapped, and the end came on Thursday night. This is not the time for a critical examination of the deceased statesman’s political career. Suffice it to say on ..that score that that however much people may disagree with some of the planks in his platform, none will be found ungenerous enough to withhold from him the meed of praise that belongs to the man who has given his time and energies to the service- of his adopted land. Arriving in the colony about twenty-eight years ago, Mr Ballance, who was a native of Antrim, Ireland, devoted himself to journalism., and made a name for himself and his paper—the Wanganui Herald. From the first he displayed a strong liking for political life, and in a few years he occupied a place in Parliament, still, however, retaining his connection with the profession in which he -had won his spurs. When the question' of the abolition of the provinces came to the front he took a prominent part in the debates, and when Sir George Grey was subsequently called to form a Ministry Mr Ballance was included in it. He also held office in the StputYogel Cabinet, and amply justified his claims to the distinction. A lengthened term in the ranks of the .Opposition followed, and then, as the result ofthe last election; Mr Ballance found -'himself, as Premier of the colony, at the top of the political tree. His Government at once inaugurated a vigorous and progressive policy, both in land administration and finance, and it has been claimed that they will be able to face Parliament in June with a statement demonstrating the success of their measures. But the man chiefly responsible for their initiation, the guiding spirit, will not be there to hear it. As so often happens in human affairs, he has not been permitted to see the realisation of his efforts—his joy only in this regard has been “ the rapture of pursuing,” which someone has declared to be the highest pleasure of the victor in life’s conflicts. Since his accession to power Mr Ballance had led his party with conspicuous ability. He brought to the task a wide and varied experience, great knowledge of public affairs, and a grasp of finance that long ago marked him out as the only man who could hold his own in that department with the late Sir Harry Atkinson. While not an orator of the first rank, he was a powerful speaker, and possessed in no small measure the faculty of impressing’ his views on his hearers. On every side regret is expressed at his removal at an age —fifty-five—when he had apparently many years of successful work before him. His visits to this part of the colony were not very frequent. He was here rather less’ than a year ago, and on that occasion delivered a brilliant vindication of his policy. When the people of Invercargill think of him they will recall the commanding figure, the cultured diction, and passionate eloquence of the late head of the Government they will remember him rather as the combatant in the political arena than as the man broken in health and wasted by disease. There can be no doubt that his death was - hastened by the strain which public life entails on colonial statesmen under- existing conditions.. The late Mr MacandreAv many years ago recognised that the late, sometimes all-night sittings, of Parliament, made too great a demand on the

physical forces of members, and suggested a remedy, namely, day sittings. His idea, however, was never carried out, hut it may be taken for granted that it will yet be adopted. The cost of the present system, in the shape of shortened powers of usefulness, of our public men, to say nothing of other drawbacks that will suggest themselves, is too great to allow of its retention.