DEATH OF THE HON. MR. BALLANCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 9685, 29 April 1893, Page 2

DEATH OF THE HON. MR. BALLANCE.

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

CAUSE OF HIS DEATH.

ARLANGEMENTd FOR THE FUNERAL.

I PER PBBBS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, April 29 The medical name of the disease which the Premier suffered from was atrophy of the intes tinal anastomosis. When it became evident that an operation was inevitable, a room was specially prepared, everything being saturated with carbolic antiseptics. Dr Cleghom was to perform the operation, Dr Fell assisting him. Dr Macgregor and Dr McKenzie were there, with Dr Henry When the summons came, the Premier, casting off in an extraordinary manner the depression and weakness which euspenso had produced, sprang out of bed, and. walking unassisted to the operating room, shook hands cordially with the medical men, said '• Good-byo " to all, stepped on to the operating table, and, throwing himself upon his back, bade the operators begin. It was a wonderful example of physical courage triumphing over physical weakness. Chloroform was administered, and for aboit two hours and a half tho operation was proceeded with. It was still incomplete wtion it was felt that it was not safe to continue longer, and the patient was brought back to semi-consciousness. During all this time tho relatives, Sir Robert Stout, and his colleagues had been waiting, fearing the worst as tho moments weat by. Next morning Mr Ballance was prtiaUy conscious, and was abloto speak hopefully of the ultimate success of the operation to his brother-in-law (Mr Anderson) and Sir Robort, and at a further consultation on that evening it was decided that the opo-a-tion might bo resumed on Tuesday morning. Once more t'*at anxious group of Ministers and friends gathered at the Premier's residence, and once more the poor sufferer, who had boen kept more 0.less under the influence of an opiate, wa3 laid upon tho operating board and placed under the knife. At 8 am. tho operation was resumed, and by 11 it was successfully completed, the old adhesions removed, the obstruction overcome, the gaping wounds sown up, and a syphon inserted. As the sequel proved, vitality was too ex hausted to bear up under tho strain, and the knife of the surgeon was applied, all too lato. _ While at Wanganui, an Engli&K phvsi cian of note who happened to be in the colony, told the Premiei thajfc an operation wouM have to be undergono, and advised a long sea voyage ot six months. Mr Ballunce at that time was sanguine of recovery, iind did not wish to roa ; gn, but ho liked the i en of a «ea voyage, and intended to have taken a trip iv the Hineinoa if pos ible. Ilis life was insured for £1000 in the Government Office. Sir Robert Stout, who has boen staying in tho Premier's rosiJence during his present visit to Welli lgton, receive"'! Mr Balance's last requests. The Pest says that Mr Pallance desired Sir Robert to succe d him, and that the latter will probably stand for the vacant seat of Inangahua. T"o onue journal says the lion Mr Ward will bo Colonial Treasurer in the reconstructed Ministry. Ministers themselves, howevor, have declined to say anything as to future arrangements at the present juncture. ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FUNERAL. The funeral takes place in Wanganui on S'inday afternoon, a special train leaving Wellington on Sunday morning, taking tho body and Ministers of the Crown. The funeral train will leave for Wan ganui at 7,30 a in. on Sunday, and return tho same afternoon. The ceremonies at Wellington and in Wanganui will be of a military character. A detaohmenfc from HMS. Katoomba will take part. The funeral arrangements have boen completed. A request was made that the train should stop at Aramoho and the cortege proceed thence to Wan anui, but the Gorernment find that as there will be but a very short fmo in Wanganui, the funeral must start from the main railway station at Taupo Quay to the Masonic Hall where a funeral service will be conductod by the Scottish Kil\vinnin< Lodgo. All the members of tho Government proceed to Wanganui and will acj, as pall bearers. LETTER FROM GOVERNOR. The acting Premier received the follow- j ing letter from the Governor, on Thursday evening ; — "Tho Governor has jnst hoard, with mv h regret, from Sir P. Buckley of the death of the Pnin'er, and he desires to take the earliest opportunity of expressing to his Ministers hi* sense of tho great loss the colony has sustained in the removal of so able and exporjoncci a statesman Ho also desires to express his own sorrow at the loss of one with whom his porsonal relations havo ever boeu of the most pleasant and cordial description, and who o couiteous assistance and coudsbl always havo been at the disposal of the Governor during this, his first year of office." MR BALLANCE'S WANGANUI CAREER. Tho Wanganui Chronicle relates Mr Ballanco'B early career in that town ns follows: — He came to tho colony with his wife in 1866, and early in tint same year ho was settled in Wanganui He opened a jeweller's Buop on tho Quay soon after his arrival, and this establishment was not closed until the foundation of tho Evening Herald in 1867, the first number of our evoning contemporary being published on Monday, tho 3rd day of Juno in that year. It was before the founding of the Evening Herald, however, that Mr B illance made his first public, or, more correctly, semi public, appearance in Wnnganui. At thit time a Literary Club hold periodical meetings in the old school which formerly occupied the site of the presont Technical School. This society tmbracod among its members many men still well known in the town and district, prominent among them being Mr John Ballance and Mr George Hutchison. Mr Ballance was a man who advanced rapidly. In the Wanganui Literary Club lie macJo his first speech in reply to one by Mr C. Burnett who had spoken aguinst universal suffrage. Mr Ballanco, then, as over, an advanced democrat, spoke well and eloqiiontly in support, and the club were startled at the general knowledge and power of debate evinced by their r.ew nienil>or. Before Mr Ballanco ttarted the Herald newspaper he entered into partnership with a friend as a brower, which bueioess he carried on simultaneously with that of a jeweller on tho Quay. When tho brewery hud run some little time Mr Ballance, who had a Jecided leaning for journalistic work, in ducod his partner to support him in commencing a daily ovoniog papor in Wangunui. After working together for a season the pirtnors fell out and the businesses wero divided, Mr Bullanco taking tho paper while llio other continued the brewery, Prior to this Mr Ballanco's Grst wife died, on the 2t>th March, 1868 This same year saw tho deceased enrolled in the Colonial Forces as a Cornet in tho Wanganui Cav-ilry unbor Captain Finnimoro Aftor a briefs rvico of about six months, howovor, ho was deprived of his commie sion for writing nn articlecriticising Colonel T. M. Uaultain, the then Defence Minister. Some two years or so later Ije rnarriod Misu Ellen Anderson, whom he now leaves a wiffow,