N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 273, 17 November 1936, Page 5

N.Z. PARLIAMENT.

BIRTH AND PROGRESS.

BALLANCE TO SEDDON

STIRRING TIMES RECALLED,

(No. X.)

(By S.S.)

Again we have the advantage of the outline of Mr. William Gisborne's "New Zealand Rulers and Statesmen from 1840 to 1897," to enable us to follow much of the Dominion's Parliamentary progress. John Ballance, who succeeded Sir Harry Albert Atkinson on January 24, 1891, flrst entered Parliament in 1875, as member for Rangitikei, from whence he speedily made his way. His political career, as Mr. Gisborne observed, was a striking example of a successful, straight-forward course of energy, perseverence and ability, in spite of many worldly disadvantages. He was the son of a small Irish tenant farmer, and as a boy was apprenticed to an ironmonger in Birmingham. While there he devoted Ms spare hours to selfculture by attending night-classes, debating societies, and by contributions to the newspaper Press.

He was 27 years old when lie emigrated to New Zealand and settled with very limited means at Wanganui, where in the course of time he became the proprietor and editor of a small newspaper which he owned until the passing of his life. He was elected a member of the House of Representatives in 18/o, and in 1883 he joined Sir George Grey s Ministry, and in January 24, 1891, became Premier. There was nothing final or curious about his work. He was, as he said of an English statesman a man who could hew a statue out of a rock, but not cut faces upon cherry qfnnps " His speeches were not spark!L" splendid, b„t they we solid and robust, and their end was utility. Thev were characterised by clearness.

Bacon who "hunt more often after words than matter." He had a lovable natm e, which appreciably partook of sweetness and light. John Ballance somewhat lacked the gifts of debating power and of securing practical effect to his political conception; but he was wise enough to recognise his own deficiencies, and to obtain, when he first became Premier, the services of Ministers who could supplement those deficiencies. Unfortnnatcly he did not live long enough to see the success of his achievement in the creation of a great party of liberal and progressive tendencies. In a little more than two years from his accession to the Premiership, death put an end to his work in this'world. Up to the last he nobly struggled against painful disease in the fulfilment of what lie deemed his duties. In his premature death New Zealand lost a good, able and patriotic statesman. Seddon Enters Parliament. Richard John Seddon first sat in the House of Representatives for Hokitika in 1879, and subsequently represented Kumara from 1881 to 1890 and afterwards was returned for Westland, which seat, he held until his death on June 10, 1900 30 years ago. Westland m those days was a rich alluvial gold-producing district, and its mining was earned on under the hydraulic sluicing system. Its chief centres of population as a provincial district, were Holcitika Grey mouth Ivumara and Ross. The wiioie West Coast from the northern extremity of the South Island to the southern boundary of Westland was altogether a Si" country, between the high mountain ran<*e on the east and the ocean on the west, with a few harbours more or less difficult of access, a country intersected by rapid and often impassable rivers, covered by dense bush, » » EdrefeJS Esj have taken root to traversed partly by good roads and partly byrail^ J toads, _.

Richard John Seddon was an admirable representative of a gold milling community. A miner himself, he had the qualities which made him popular and respected among miners. Genial, frank, a good comrade, intelligent, fluent and earnest in speech, he knew and sympathised with their wants and was able to represent them effectively in Parliament. In the prime of life, vigorous and full of energy, he was ever hard at work in the interests of his district, persistent in speech, gifted with a strong will, self-reliant and with imperturbable assurance. He became for the first time a Minister on January 24, 1891, when he joined the Ballance Ministry as Minister of Mines. He was a valuable colleague, though new to the responsibilities of political office. As a speaker he would have been more effective if he had been less voluble. " Big Man's Jests." As an administrator he showed considerable capacity. He eoon grasped the real question at issue and when he made up his mind as to what was a great decision, he easily broke the "withes" of red tape which would have embarrassed other men in giving immediate effect to what he thought was right to be done. It would have been better for him politically had he served longer in his apprenticeship as a Minister before he became Premier. As it wae, he succeeded John Ballance in a little more than two years, that time being the sole experience he had of Ministerial office. Like Gladstone, Seddon was a devourer of work. He did not, however, devote his spare half hour? to studies of political problems. He kept to his own business, but out of mere exuberance as a sessional pastime he fired off to the gallery occasionally a few fantastic fads in the shape of bills which were meant for show and not for development. A big man's jest!