Banquet to the Native Minister.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5171, 28 November 1884, Page 4

Banquet to the Native Minister.

■ ■>» [Pei: Press Absociation.j WANGANUI, Nov. 27. A complimentary banquet was given to the Hon J. Ballance, Native Minister, this j eveniug, at which there was a very large i attendance, including Mr Bryce, M.H.R. j In replying to the toast of the evening, Mr j Ballance thanked the company very sin- i ceroly for the great honour they had done ! him on the present occasion, and in a way i he did not expect. He was afraid the '• services rendered by him were hatfdly of i such a character as to merit the encomiums passed upon him, but ho could say that i such as thoy were, they had been labours of love. They had been rendered without ; any desire on his part of receiving such ; recognition as had been given him that , evening. When he heard that it was the intention of the Wanganui people to tender him a compliment in a public way, he felt that he could not assume that anything he bad done during the session had entitled ] him to that honour, and he therefore ! assumed that it was more in the light of a personal feeling of respect towards him that the movement was due. Referring to the remarks made by the chairman aa to his present dual capacity as member for i the district and as a Minister, he had held ', in theory that tho two positions were per- ; fectly compatible, and a member who ; neglected his constituents because he had been appointed a Minister, deserved their censure. Of course he would be told that new brooms swept clean, but he looked upon parties <as political necessities, aud it I was essential to the good Government of ; the Colony, that one party who had worn I its broom out should give way to another i who had a new broom. (Hear, hear.) A : change .in the Ministry of the Colony was i absolutely necessary for a conthnjance of j its progress. Mr Ballance then spoke of a j measure which had passed last session — I the " Married Women's Property Act " — j which was of great importance, a measure j which had received cordial support from j both parties. Every married woman in the | Colony had now the same right to hold property and to deal in property as nien j had. He believed the time was not far | distant when we should advance another j step, and give every woman elector the j franchise. He said this to show that some- j thing had been done . to advance social j progress. He next referred to the j central line of railway running through | the North Island. He could not say that i the construction of that railway would ex- j clusively benefit the town of Wanganui. It ; would depend upon the energy she dis- i played. But he was quite certain that it j would benefit the North Island generally. < Tho lino, as they knew, would start from '•■ Marton and run through to Te Awaixtutu, | and there were no fewer than 4_ million j acres of land to be acquired along the line. \ It had been recognised that since the work had been authorised it was the duty ; of the Government to push on with it with all possible speed, and he might say that it had been definitely settled that the first sod of the railway should be turned simultaneously at both the Marton and Te Awarnutu ends. It was intended to commence the construction at certain points along the line, and certain sums of money have been appropriated for the opening of roads to the line for the conveyance of material. ] Mr Rochfort had suggested that the Wanganui river should be one of such i highways, and in this way considerable benefit should accrue to Wanganui. All , such matters as these, however, must be looked at from a Colonial point of view, j for the interests of the Colony as a whole, and as a means of assisting to dispel the depression, which has of late hung like a nightmare upon it. This brought him to j the unemployed difficulty, the importance j of dealing with which the Government j fully recognised. It had been asserted i that the unemployed difficulty was prinei- j pally due, and could be traced to persons i of the working classes, who indulged too freely in strong drink, and to loafers who did not work ; but, on inquiry, the Government had found that the distress was not confined to these classes alone. Some of ; the better class were also suffering, and even, in some cases, those who had employ- , ment. Under these circumstances, the Government did not propose to continue immigration until the surplus labour had been absorbed, and he believed that by the settlement of the land, the difficulty would be solved. He then spoke of charges which had been made against Governmentof unlimited borrowing proposals. He assured them the Government intended to borrow only so much as would complete the works already sanctioned by Parliament, and for such works as would be reproductive. He thought there was a great future for the industries of the Colony, -which would be supported by tho Government as far as possible. On the question of the defence of the Colony, the Government believed that wliile it would be impossible for any foreign Power to hold \ any permanent possession, it was their duty to placo the harbours in a state of defence, and to depend upon the Volunteers. As regarded the purchase of Native ' t Lands, it was tho intention of the Govern- , ment in future to acquire land for settlement only, and upon commercial principles, and they would not borrow money except [ for lands that would be made to reproduce . at least 5 per cent on the cost, consequently the Native difficulty had resolved itself [ into simply a question of settlement of land. It was the intention of the Govern- ! ment to establish Laud Associations that . could take up land to the extent of 5000 , acres. Restrictions were placed on the Native lands, so that the 4_ million acres on the line of the Central Railway would r.ot be available for open purchase, and this [ had met with the approval of the great Native chief Wahanui and Major Kemp. If the N.atives had been allowed to settle their own lands they would have i overcome the great difficulty, and have become hearty co-operators in the work of the Colony. The pastoral lands of the Colony should not be alienated. . They lepresented 12,000,000 acres, and the revenue would yearly increase. It was the intention of the Government to cut the present largo runs- into smaller blocks; at the same time ho recognised the fact that the runholdei's were a most important part of the community, and their position was worthy of overy consideration. He approved of land settlement on a purchase extending ovor 10 years, the extent to be 100 acres, on these conditions, namely — good land, proximity to market, and low price. The particulars ( i the Association system would be gazetted jin a few days. The questions of Local j Govornm -*nt and Taxation would shortly be : referred to by the Hon the Premier in j Dunedin.