MR BALLANCE AT WANGANUI.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1599, 25 June 1887, Page 1

MR BALLANCE AT WANGANUI.

Mr Ballance addressed a meetiog of electors at Wanganui on Thursday night. He defended the village settlements at length, and stated it was the intention of the Government if retained in power to carry on the system. He dealt with questions of retrenchment in the Rhiu, ay, Native, and Education Departments, with a view of showing that the railways were more economically managed here than in any other oolony ; that )f the I Nation Department, which . now only cost £4OOO a year, could be done away with it was the greatest testimony that could be given to the administration of Native affairs during the last three years, and that any alteration in tbe Education Department really meant nothing else but tbe reduction of teachers' wages, whioh now only averaged £9410s per annum. He compared his own travelling: expenses with those of Mr Bryce or Mr Rolleston, his predecessors in the Native and Lands Departments, and showed that he had not been extravagant, though he did not accuse them of unnecessary expenditure. He indicated that the question of protection would be the. test question of the elections, .and: that Government was prepared lo stand by it. He dealt at length with the success of tbe Government in the post,; mentioning measures they had passed, and summed up by stating that considering they had never hod a strong party they had done very well. Mr BalLince was well received by a crowded meeting, and a vote expressing a renewal of confidence followed, and three cheers were aocorded him.