MR BALLANCE'S MOVEMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1960, 29 January 1885, Page 2

MR BALLANCE'S MOVEMENTS.

[rytelegryph —own oorrepoxdent.] Auckl vni), Wednesday Night. Thk Hon. .T. Ballance, Minister for Native Affairs and Defence, arrived at Onehunga from Wellington by the Hinemoa early tliis morning. In the course of a conversation with the Star reporter, Mr Ballance said lie intends remaining in Auckland until Monday next, when he proceeds to Waikato. Ho will go to Alexandra first, and probably see the nathes at all the difterent places there. He had mutation* from most of the cheiefs to meet them, and it was in respoiine to these that hi" went. Then,iti\es wished to di»cuss land and i.iilway matters with him, and also the question of nathe policy. After visiting W.vikato he intends to proceed to the Thames, and go down the East Coast. He would hmd at Tauranga, and pay a visit to the nathes at Kotorua, who were anxious to bee him about matters relating to the Hot Lakes. They were greatly troubled altout their rents, which, they said, h.ul not been paid since the beginning. With regard to rents, it was the intention of the Government to make lessees pay. The Government were, virtually, trustees in the matter, and as rents had l)een held legal, Government determined to enforce payment. He would call and bee Ropata at Tologa Bay, and discus matters relating to land, which appeared to be occupying the minds of the native* all over the uland just now from Tologa Bay. He would proceed to Gisborne in order to l>e present at the meeting to be held there on the 24th February. The reporter inquired of the intentions of tho Government respecting annexation, and Mr BulUnce replied that the Government had now no intention of sending the Hinemoa to Samoa. She would have gone had it not l>een for a reply received from Lord Derby. He would meet several deputations before h* left town to-morrow. Mr .Shepherd had already called upon him with a request that he should nccept the ser\ ices of a new corps of cwalry \olunteer* which wait being formed at Pukekohe. Tha Government were not inclined to accept the uri-vices of more cavalry corps at present, but he was considering whether they might not be enrolled as mounted rifle volunteers.