THE GENERAL ELECTION. THE HON. J. BALLANCE INTERVIEWED.

Otago Witness, Issue 1921, 11 December 1890, Page 24

THE GENERAL ELECTION. THE HON. J. BALLANCE INTERVIEWED.

(From Oob Own Cobbespondent.) Wanganui, December 10. The special reporter of the New Zealand Times, who left Wellington by the first train yesterday (Wednesday) morning to wait on the leader of the Opposition at Wanganui, telegraphs the following account of his interview with Mr Ballance : — On arrival at Wanganui I called on Mr Ballance at his house, St. John's Hill, and in reply to my request he professed bis willingness to give any information as to bis views of the political situation. In accordance with appointment, therefore, I met Mr Ballance at 7.30. THE POSITION. The first matter I spoke to Mr Ballance about was with respect to the position at present. He pointed out that the object of the agreement corns to last session was to avoid the cost of an extra session, and bring the current one to an end so as to avoid double expenses. "I submitted to Mr Bryce," he said, •• that the next session should be called together as early as possible, not later than the first week in April. Ultimately that was agreed to, and we out off the three months' supplies allowed after the end of the financial year. Then I raised the question of a possibility of the Ministry bciug defeated at the elections, and we drew up a clause in plain terms to the effect that if defeated they were to tender their resignation. Mr Bryce brought that clause back to me from tho Ministry, and aaid Mr Stevens objected to the wordiDg thinking that it might appear to indicate that it was a foregoue.conclusion the Ministry would be defeated. Other phraseology was suggested, which I understood was conveyed to the Government by Mr Bryce and embodied in the memorandum. It is as follows : — ' It is fully recognised that constitutional practice requires that the result of the general election should, if clearly apparent, regulate the conduct of Ministers in retaining offica or tendering their resignation.'" (Mr Ballacce showed me the memo., which was initialled "H. A. A.") "This," Mr Ballance proceeded, "was discussed and it was understood that if Mioisters were beaten they would follow the usual practice and resign. Ido not attach supreme importance to this document, because, after all, it. is only sn embodiment of a well understood constitutional practice in England and here. When a Ministry 55 defeated either in Parliament or at the election?, it; has no longer any mandate to ' ''minister tho affairs of the country, and it is cletfthat constitutional practice requires them ' 10 tender their reuignatione forthwith. I have noticed that Sir H. Atkinson end other M'r.isloni have nia.fe suggestion es to v/hat ougbb to be done, mA raited the question ps to whahei: the Opposition oouM form a Ministry, but it appears to me they are not qualified at

such a time to express any opinion on the subject. They are virtually dead to the constitution, and it is for another power to intervene. That power is the Governor. Indeed it is one of the principal functions of the Governor in the colonies to regulate constitutional practice at this period when he has no advisers, he himself aoting from his own authority and without being required to follow the advice. It is sometimes the practice for a retiring Miuistry to offer advice as to the person that the Governor should send 'for to form a Ministry ; but the Governor need not act upon that advice, and very often declines to do so. More frequently it is the custom not to offer any advice at all, leaving the Governor to his own resource!?." In response to further questions, Mr Ballance said : " One fact has been definitely ascertained at the present time and admitted by the party most concerned — the head of the Ministry — and that is that the Government are in a minority. Without respectj then, to what the Governor may do, it is, as I have indicated, the simple duty of the Government to resign. That is the position. I have noticed that it has been suggested a re-construction should take place, but re- construction is impossible where a party is in a minority, and re-construction is only another word for a continuous Ministry, which implies tbat there is a majority to support it, It is not for me to suggest what the Governor should do — I have had no communication with him, and have no right to offer advice ; but one thing is clear to my mmd — viz , that there is a majority in the House returned on clearly defined principle?, and that a large proportion of that majority acknowledge allegiance to the leader of the Opposition. It is probable that a majority of the House would follow bis lead ; but it is certain there is not a majority in favour of any other known leader. These are facts, however, for the Governor h'mself to determine on the best information at his disposal." Atked about the proposal to assemble Parliament in January, Mr Ballance pointed to the cost it would involve. The objection to it was that Parliament could not, if it were called together, proceed to the transaction of other business than the constitution of a Ministry and the election of a Speaker, and the cost to the country would be at least £12,000. Parliament would be called together again in April, so that there would be two sessions in one year. This objection of expense, he said, "is a proper one to make at this time when retrenchment is absolutely necessary to make both ends meet without further taxation, and it does appear to me tbat there is nothing at all to justify it. The other course is for the Ministry to resignand for the Governor to send for the member whom he believes most likely to be able to form a Ministry representing the majority of the House. The Ministry thus constituted would proceed to prepare its measures for meeting Parliament in April, and when Parliament meet* to proceed to work without loss of time. If the personnel of the Ministry were unsatisfactory, or the policy objectionable, the usual consequences would follow and Parliament would soon find a Ministry possessing its confidence. These appear to me to be the elementary principles of constitutional practice." Reporter: Have you anything to say about the policy which might be brought down if the leader of the Opposition forced a Government ? Mr Ballance : It would, ' of course, be an expression of the views of the Opposition during the election. ,* Reporter : Do you think it likely that there will be a change in the incidence of taxation ? Mr Ballance : Yes, certainly. To my mind a change in the incidence of taxation to carry out the will of the people is called for, and must be submitted by any Ministry pretending to represent the Opposition. Reporter : About the property tax. Mr Ballance : I think the property tax is most obnoxious in falling upon improvements, and in many other respects its inequalities are transparent. Reporter : Do you consider the verdict of the country in favour of a land tax ? Mr Ballance: Yes; largely in favour of it. There is a very important question which I should like to touch on in this connection. It has been said that if the incidence of taxation is changed, sufficient revenue will not be forthcoming — that is, if a land tax is adopted. But it is assumed that the Ministry would be ignorant of its business. The first duty of a Government is to provide sufficient revenue for the purposes of the country, and it is for Parliament to judge whether tbat end has been accomplished by the Budget proposals. As to taxation on the necessaries of life (this in answer to a further question) I have not considered that yet. It is my desire to remove it if it could be done without impairing the stability of our finance. It is certainly one of the objects we should look to. Reporter : You are aware it is doubted whether the Opposition would be able to form a Ministry without difficulty? Mr Ballance : It appears to me the suggestion is made by, or is the wish of, men who have no knowledge of the principles of party Government. Reporter : You consider the Opposition has a clear majority ? Mr Ballance : Undoubtedly. Reporter : And are strong enough to go on ? Mr Ballance : That would have to be decided. No one can pretend to give positive assurance as to the strength of a ministry until it has been constituted, and its policy submitted in the usual way. Reporter: And you think the Government bhould resign at once ? Mr Ballance: Yes; perform their simple duty. They have no right to offer opinions. They are dead to the constitution. Probably the Governor would request them to hold office until their successors were appointed. THE SPEAKEBSHIP. Asked about this subject, Mr Ballance said he was not aware that anything was decided. Thero we-e several men in the Hou c c with tbe necessary qualifications, but it was not likely that any ppe'aker appointed would possessess tho qualifications of Sir M O'Rorke, whose loss would be severely felt in Parliament RETfiENCHMKNT. '' My own opinion was last session," said Mr Ballance, on being asked if further retrenchment was possible, "that if the Opposition could reduce the estimates by a sum of between £40,000 and £50,000, as we did, the Government, with its knowledge of the working of the departments ought to ba able to make very substantial reductions without impairing the efficiency of the services Much could be done by amalgamation, for thero is a good deal of extravagance in public buildings and other departments, THE CAMPAIGN. It transpired in conversation that the Opposition outlined a plan of campnign last session. Speaking of the labour representation, Mr Bftllance said : "It appears to me that they are not labour members in the narrow sense of the term. I havo read the speeches of mo6t of the so-called labour representatives", and have .come to the conclusion that they are men of broad and general intelligence, who will hold their own in the discussion of nil Hubjcots re Intiutf to the well-being of the people." He declined to say what he thought were the principal individual

victories of the Opposition, bat eaid Borne I important men holding Conservative views had gone down on the Ministerial side, while on the other hand some new members elected on the Opposition platform were men of discernment and ability, and would take a leading part in New Zealand politics. He added : " The general result of the elections shows that there has been no deterioration in the quality of the representatives. It is impossible to say what position the new men will take ; we can only go by general indications. But, looking back over a Parliamentary experience of 15 years, I consider th*t the average ability of the House is very much higher than when I entered Parliament in 1875, though at that time there were a few men of first rank in the House. judge edwards' appointment. Mr Ballance's answer to a question on this head was that he had had not considered the subject recently. His opinion last session, which he still held, was that the appointment was illegal, unconstitutional, and subversive of the independence and respect due to the Supreme Court bench; further, that it was unnecessary, and that the expense of a sixth judge could have been saved. LAND POLICY. Reporter : Do you think a change in policy ia called for ? Mr Ballance: I do. I think that the land policy must be the leading item in the programme of a Liberal Ministry, and that it should be the first object of a Ministry, by a land policy, to arrest the exodus of the population that has been going on, and attract people with capital from ether parts to this colony. I consider this matter vital to the welfare of the country. Reporter : What about village settlements P Mr Ballance : Yes ; that simply means land on favourable conditions for the working classes who possess a little capital. I think this should be available. Widen the system, with such modifications as experience suggests. My opinion is that twice the number of people should be located on the land that have been in recent years BORROWING. Reporter : What are your ideas about borrowing? Mr Ballance: I think that a policy of selfreliance in the matter of borrowing is not only demanded by the people, but is necessary to the prosperity of the colony, and that we should not go upon the London market at least for a loDg time to come. With regard to oponing up and settling country, it would be a fatal policy to do nothing. The ocal bodies have no colonising powers in opening up new country, and the Colonial Government must do the work or stagnation will ensue. I thiuk sufficient money for the purpose can be provided in more than one way within the colony. RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS. Asked about the commissioners, Mr Ballance said he thought that, having such large powers, they should be careful not to exercise them in an arbitrary way. " They are on their trial," he said, "and their administration will be carefully weighed by the country. I believe the railways 6hould be administered to encourage the industries of the colony, and that if the commissioners fail in this respect the system will bo abolished at the end of the term for which they were appointed. Ido not mean to say that the railways should not be made to pay a large portion of the interest on the cost of construction, because I recognise that if there is a large deficiency here it will have to be made up by fresh taxation, which must come from other sources. But I do mean that the tariff should be adapted, consistently with its yielding a good amount of revenue, to the industrial progress and development of the colony." NATIVE LANDS. Mr Ballance said, with respect to native lands i — " The settlement of these lands is at present at a perfect standstill, despite what has been done with free trade legislation, and it is possible that proposals of a very important nature would be submitted by a new Ministry. It is essential that in any changes the Natives should agree. I have a plan by which I think the greater portion of the lands could be brought within the area of settlement at once, without allowing them to fall into the hands of a few people. Ido not say what it is at preppnt, because this is not a proper time to ! divulge it." RECIPROCITY. Mr Ballance was asked about reciprocity, and ' declared strongly in favour of it, avoiding I political federation. > COALITION AND AN IMMEDIATE SESSION. Upon these two points I put my last two I questions to Mr Ballance. As to coalition, his reply was emphatically : "It is impossible. There are not the conditions for a coalition to begin with, for the Opposition are strong enough to form a Government. A coalition was never framed under such circumstances Then it would stultify the Opposition, for it means that neither of the parties coalescing shall do anything or move in promoting its distinctive policy ; therefore the Opposition would be prevented from doing what they have been advocating duing the elections. Personally, I am opposed to coalitions on historic grounds. No good has ever come of them." As to the proposal to requisition the Governor to call Parliament together at once, Mr Ballance said to grant it would simply bo to promote confusion, and also to cause two sessions where one would suffice. What was wanted now was solid work. There had been too much confusion ever since the present Ministry, having been returned as Freetraders, brought down a protective policy in 1888, parties had been disorganised. This ended the interview.