POLITICAL ADDRESS BY THE NATIVE MINISTER.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 79, 6 December 1884, Page 6

POLITICAL ADDRESS BY THE NATIVE MINISTER.

Wanganui, November 29. Hon. J. Ballance, Minister of Native Affairs, was banquetted here last night, there being a large attendance. In responding to the toast of his health, Mr Ballance made a lengthy speech, in the course of which he touched on various political topics. He advocated giving a vote to every woman, and also alluded to the making of the trunk railway, and its bearing on the prosperity of the colony. He next referred to the "unemployed" difficulty, the importance of dealing with which the Government fully recognised. It had been asserted that the unemployed difficulty was principally due and could be traced to persons of the working classes who indulged too freely in drink, and to loafers who did not work, but on inquiry the Government had found that the distress was not confined to these classes alone. Some of the better class were also suffering, and even in some cases those who were in employment. Under these circumstances the Government did not propose to continue immigration until the surplus labour had been absorbed, and he believed that in the pettlement of the land the difficulty would be solved. As regarded the purchase of native lands, it was the intention of the Government in future to acquire land, for settlement only, and upon a commercial principle, and they 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 of the Government to establish land associations that could take up land to the extent of 5,000 acres. The pastoral 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, and their position was worthy of every consideration. He approved of land settlement on a purchase extending over teti years, the extent to be 100 acres, on three conditions, namely, good land, proximity to market, and low price of land. The particulars of the Association system would be gazetted in a few days.