THE PRESENT MINISTRY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3964, 16 November 1891, Page 2

THE PRESENT MINISTRY.

In Ins long Parliamentary experience, Mr A. Saunders, M.H.R. fori tjelwyn, has had opportunities for comparison of the different Ministries that have held office in New Zealand that have not been enjoyed by any member of the present Parliament, and this is how he sums up the members of the Ballance Government : Mr Ballance was the best and most courteous debater in the House. He spoke with great power and great ease, never too long nor too often, and he said anything offensive even in retaliation. But he was too easily influenced, and had not enough backbone of his own, and he there* fore did not carry that weight and power in the House that he otherwise would, Mr Ward hid proved himself a shrewd man of business, was a very good speaker, did his work in a business-like manner, and was looked upon as certainly a source of strength to the Ministry. Mr fcjeddon, who was quite a character in his way, was unquestionably a self-made man, and although his English was uncultivated, was much too fond of hearing himself speak, and had spent too much on special trams, and had committed some other faults; on the whole these faults were more than compensated for by the independent manner in which he put aside all pretensiousness and fashion* 1 able ideas. He was prepared to deal even-banded justice to all persons. If any economy was to be effected by the present Ministry it would be by Mr Seddon's ungloved hand. Then they had Mr McKenzie, Minister for Lands, who had a very broad back, and had had to bear the brunt of a""very large amount of misrepresentation that had been so liberally heaped upon the present Government. He thoroughly understood his business, and, if it was possible to keep the land for the people, he was the man to do it. Then they came to Mr Reeves, the Minister of Education and Justice. He might personify education, because he quoted scraps of Latin and French, but in the House he appeared as the Ministerial avenger, in which capacity his justice was not much tempered with mercy or forbearance. He could make a smart speech, but he showed more retaliation than justice. Mr Fergus had lately learned the wisdom of having as little of Mr Reeves' justice as he possibly could. Mr Cadman, the Native Minister, on the other hand, was so painfully amiable that it was difficult to believe he was a real live Minister.