DEATH OF THE HON. MR. BALLANCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 9684, 28 April 1893, Page 2

DEATH OF THE HON. MR. BALLANCE.

BEEN SINKING SINCE SATURDAY.

SUOrS ALL CLOSED IN WELLINGTON.

Wellington, April 28. — Since Saturday last Mr Ballance has been unablo to take any nourishment, and on Sunday tho ' intestinal obstruction having become more acute, and all other means having been tri^d without success, it was absolutely necessary to afford the patient relief by an operation, which was succeßßlulh* performed on Sunday by Drs. Cleghorn, Henry, and Fell. Mr Baliaaco felt immediate relief, but the - putiont'B weakened constitution gavo the utmost anxiety to his friend*, and on Thursday morning a decided change for tho worse took place. At 1.45 pm. his medical advisers gavo up all hope, and intimated th'it tue end was not far off. About 4 p.m. Mr Ballance becamo unconscious, and rouiaincd so till death intetvened, but up to that hour he had been able to recognise those around him, and ut G. 19 o'clock on Thursday evening he passed away, having been unconscious some hours. Dr Henry, Dr Cleghorn, and Dr Fell were with tho Premier to the last, and those bosidos Mrs Ballanco at tho death-bed«*vere: Two sisters and a brother of Mrs Ballance, Sir Robert Stout, Sir Patrick Buckley,"" tho lions. Messrs Soddon, Reeves, Caiman, and Mclvenzie, and Mr A M. Smith (private secretary). The following ia a copy of a Gazelt Extraordinary, which was issued by tho Coloni .1 Secretary on Thursday evening: " It is with deep regret I have to announce that the Hon. Mr Ballance died this evening at the Premier's residence, Tinakori Road, at 20 minutes past s : x. The officers at the Government Buildings are relieved from duty on Friday and Saturday." In tho evoninj, on tho City Council meeting, tho Mayor iuimediutoly moved tho adjournment, out of respect to tho memory of the deceased. In doing so, ho said the colony had sustained a loss by tho death of Mr Ballanco. lie was a political opponent of the Premier, but had learn d to respect him for his honesty of purposo and good qualities, and as Mayor he could testify to the interest Mr Ballance had taken in the affairs of the city of Willing lon. Ho cordially and sincerely regretted his death. Councillors Fraser and Yogel also paid a high tribute to deceased's memory, and referred to the death as „a national calamity. Dr Fookos and Dr Grapes examined the body of tho Pi crier aftei death, and found a ttriuturo in tho course of tho bowels which could not help proving fatal. There was no tumor in the stomach or bowels. Thefnneral takes place in Wanganui on Sunday afternoon, a special train leaving Wellington on Sunday morning, taking tho body and Minibtcra of tho Crown. The news of the death of tho Premier caused a painful shock throughout tho co'eny, ana at meotinga of various kin s at the principal contres mention was made of tho sad event, and deep regret was expressel at the loss the colony had sustained. Mrßallar.ce leaves a widow and an adopted daug'uter, and Mrs B.iilanco ha 3 massages of condolence from all parts of the colony. THE LATE HON JOHN BALLANCH. The news which reached us on Thursday night of tho death of tho Hon John Ballance did not come unexpectedly, for notwithstanding the telegrams during his illness have up to almost the last been of a hopeful nature, it was feared his com plaint was such that no medical skill could avert a fatal termination. The Hon John Ballance was born in the little town of Glenavey, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, not far from the shores of Lough Neagh, on March 27, 1839, and, therefore, at his death was a month over fifty-four years of age His father was a tenant farmer, and Mr Ballance, after r : ceiving a sound education, partly at the National School and partly in a private one, was at the age of fourteen apprenticed to an ironmonid. Ho afterwards went to Birmingham, whero he travelled for a firm in the hardware line. It was during his residence in tha 1 ; city that he joined a Mechanics' Institute, and taking a i vantage of the excellent evening classes studied hard, giving chief attention to tho subjects of histjry, biography and modern politics. He acted also as secretary to » Literary Society. Mr Ballance, with another, entered into business in Birmingham, but not agreeing with his partner, he loft for New Zealand, arriving at Wellington during the yeai 1866, just after the scat of Government had been removed from Auckland to that city. Being of a literary turn of mind, Mr Ballanco sought omployment on the newspapers there. Some friends, however, advised him to go to Wanganui, where he went, and finally started there a jewellers shop on T.»upo Quay. Although there were two newspapers at Wanganui at the time — tie Times and Ghronic'r, both bi-weeklies — Mr Ballance saw there was an opening for a third, and in conjunction with Mr A. D; Willis, in June, 1857, started the Wanga-ui Herald as an evening paper. In 1863 tho natives under Titokowaru murdered some military sett'era at Waihi, and hostilities with the natives again commenced. Mr Ballance joined the Wanganui Cavalry Corps, and was elected to fill tho position of oornet in that troop The trenchant articles in his paper at the mismanagement going on in military matters brought down on him tho wrath of ttie powers; when Mr Booth, of the Native Office, and Colonel Haultain, the Defence Minister, both feeling aggrieved at the criticisms they were being subjected to, cancelled Comet Ballance'e commission. He, hovever, continued with his corps, going to tho front, nnd was present at the first fight at Nukumaru Mr Balance's able pen soon made the Wanganui Herald a name, and it" growth from the day of its inauguration is a tribute to his power as a writer and skill as a newspaper conductor. His first attempt to enter the political arena was in 1872, when ho st"od for Egmont against Major Atkinson ani Mr Moorhouso. Finding that tho support ho was likely to receivo from the Patea end of tho conetituency wob not sufficient to carry him in, he retired in favour of Major Atkinson Tho condition made was that the latter should support tho Stafford Ministr , Mr Ballance having received a telegram from Mr (now Sir) E Stafford, asking him to retire on party grounds, and assist Atkinson against MoorhotißO, who was the candidate of the Fox-Vogel Government. In 1873, Sir \V. Fox having resigned, Mr Ballanco went to Rangitikoi, an i defeated Mr W. Watt and Mr W. Hutchison. He stood again for tho same seat in 1876, and defeated Mr J. Bull by a very large majority. In 1879 Sir W. Fox brought forward a nominee in tho pertpn of Major Willis, and decided to st.md himself at Wanganui, which was then entitled to two members. Mr Ballanco considered that ho had a 6ottor right to represent tho town than Sir William, and determined to faco him in Wanganui. The election of tho "Two B.V (Messrs Bryco and Ballance) is not yet forgotten in that town, the contest being one of tho keenest ever fought in Wanganui. In 1881. Mr Watt defeated Mr Ballanco by 4 votes, but in 1884 the tables -weio turned, and the figures polled were;— Buliance, 551; HutcEieoo, 204;

Watt, 150. In 1887 he was again returned with a larger majority than ever, and has represented the district ever 6ince. In January 1878, Mr Ballanca joined the Grey Ministry, taking the portfolio of Education, being the first Minister ere, t;d in that Department. He afterwards took the positions of Colon al Treasurer and Commissioner of Customs. In 1879, owing to a dispute with Sir George Grey, who was the Premier, Mr Ballance retired from the Ministry. In 1884 ho joined the StoutVogcl Government, joining it as Native Minister ; but the Government had but short-life, being ousted by an adverse vole moved by Mr Thompson, the member for Clutha. The Atkinson-Wakefield Coalition Ministry followed, whose term of office was almost the shortest on record, when a reconstructed Stout- Vogel Ministry came into power. Mr Ballanco took the combined positions of Miniter of Defence <\nd Native Officer, and Miaistor of Lands. It waa when acting as Native Defence Minister that Mr Ballance initiated the :< One Policeman Policy," employing the Police Force instead of the Armed Conata bulury to preserve order in native districts In 1887, the Stout- Vogel Ministry having outlived its popularity, tho Premier Sir X Stout being defeated at the elections, Sir Harry Atkinson once more returned to office remaining in power till the next general election in 1890. In January, 1891, Mr Ballance formed a Mitfstry, and in June of that year introduced v new system of taxation, the tubstit-tiou of a land and income tix for tho property tax ; amended tho Land Act, and formuluteil a policy of " Financial Soll-Koiiauce." On tho oc cassion of Taranaki celebrating its jubilee on March 31st, 1891, the Premier visited New Plymouth, taking part in the ceremony at the time, and opened the Exhi bition. No one to look at him then would have said that in little over two short years ho would be in his grave ; but as a writer in the Christchurch Press rciuarkcd laat session, "At first glance Mr B-ilhiuce undoubtedly gives the impression of stiength, of physical, and mental Fturdinoss. He, however, occasionally exhibits sudden changes oE color wh cl> are not generally associated with rude health, but which of course may be blushci called forth by tho general " cussedncss" of the Opposition, or the spontaneous enthusiasm ot his followers. lie ha , however, one littlo peculiarity which tho writer has been taught to associato with weakness. It is this : His left hand is seldom in evidence, and when it is, shows unmistukablo signs of being an irresolute, vacillating, anxious left hand. The right hand comes boldly to tbe front, but the left hand would seem to hav6 re ired long ngo from public life. A little thing this ? Precisely ! Life is made up of very little things." The deceased gentleman made many friends during his lifetime He was the soul of courtesy which combined with a kindness of disposition caused him to bo widely esteemed as a private citizjn ; and he was respected as a public man by those opposod to him, as well as on his own side in politics Ho leaves a widow, who we feel sure has the public sympathy in her borcavement.

His Worship the Mayor sent tho following telegram at 10.30 a.m. lodav :— " Mra Ballance, Wellington. -The Mayor, Councillor?, and inhabitants of tho Borough of New Plymouth beg to tender their sincere sympathy to Mrs Balianco in her great bereavement. — James Bailringer. "