John Ballance

Politician and journalist

• Born: March 27, 1839
• Birthplace: County Antrim, Ireland (present-day Northern Ireland)
• Died: April 27, 1893
• Place of death: Wellington, New Zealand

Significance: An Irish-born immigrant to New Zealand who served as the colonial treasurer, minister of lands and immigration, minister of Māori affairs, minister of defense, and premier, John Ballance initiated a series of Liberal governments that implemented progressive reforms focused on social welfare, labor rights, and land ownership.

Background

The first of eleven children born to Mary McNiece and Samuel Ballance, a tenant farmer, John Ballance was born on March 27, 1839, in County Antrim, Ireland (present-day Northern Ireland). He attended Glenavy’s national school as well as Wilson’s Academy, a private institution in Belfast. At fourteen, he began an apprenticeship at a hardware firm in Belfast. Four years later, he became a traveling salesperson for a hardware firm based in Birmingham, England. During his approximately eight years in Birmingham, he took night courses at a local institute, joined a literary society, and immersed himself in radical movements involving areas such as philosophy, education, and politics.

In 1866, Ballance immigrated, first to Australia and then to New Zealand. He set up residence in Wanganui, where he initially established a jewelry store. He maintained his interest in politics and writing, and in 1867, he and a partner founded the Evening Herald, renamed the Wanganui Herald in 1876. Ballance used the paper to advocate for social and political reform and earned recognition for his literary skills and ideas. He continued to edit the paper until he began his political career and remained the owner of it, which by then was also published as a weekly version, until his death.

As another conflict between Māori and government forces broke out in 1868, Ballance had a part in establishing the Wanganui Cavalry, and he ultimately served in it. He simultaneously wrote critical articles about war operations and military leaders, which earned him the ire of the military command and respect from New Zealanders who appreciated his forthrightness and analysis.

Political Career

Ballance became well known due to his journalism and involvement in community organizations, and was persuaded to run for Parliament. In 1875, he was elected to the House of Representatives as a member for Rangitīkei. Initially supportive of Premier Harry Atkinson, who shared his view regarding abolishing the provinces, Ballance withdrew his support in 1877 due to Atkinson’s government’s land policies, which he perceived as favoring monopolists and corporate interests rather than colonists and Māoris. He then aligned himself with George Grey and Robert Stout, two liberals. After Grey became premier in 1877, Ballance joined his cabinet in 1878 as the commissioner of customs and minister of education and later became the commissioner of stamp duties. By July, he had been appointed as the colonial treasurer, a post he held until 1879.

Reelected to the House, this time as the member for Wanganui, in 1879, Ballance held that seat until 1881, when he was narrowly defeated. He entered Parliament once more in 1884 and joined Stout’s cabinet as the minister of Māori affairs, the minister of defense, and the minister of lands and immigration. A humanist who believed in social equality and improving social conditions for workers, Ballance used his position as minister of lands to effect land reform so that all people could have the opportunity to own land and share in the wealth produced by their labor. With the passage of the Land Act 1885, he established a state-aided village settlement plan that allowed small farmers to perpetually lease Crown land and that increased settlement into more rural areas. Supporting Māori land rights, he opposed acquiring the land they inhabited to further white settlement. He persuaded Horonuku Te Heuheu Tukino IV, a Ngāti Tūwharetoa leader, to donate land in order to protect it. This land became Tongariro National Park. He also withdrew government troops from Māori areas to deescalate tensions.

After Stout lost the government in 1887, Ballance became the unofficial leader of the opposition, a group of parliamentarians who later became New Zealand’s first modern organized political party, the Liberal Party. By 1889 he was the official leader of the Liberals. After Atkinson resigned as premier, Ballance became premier on January 24, 1891, and formed New Zealand’s first Liberal government. He took for himself the portfolios of Māori affairs and trade and customs.

Ballance implemented multiple progressive reforms during his ministry. The property tax was abolished and a progressive land tax and income tax were introduced. The new taxes—as well as limiting government borrowing—helped restore prosperity following years of depression, which boosted Ballance’s popularity. Other legislation allowed the government to buy private land for subdivision. He improved conditions for the working class by requiring factory inspections and wages to be paid in cash.

A longtime supporter of women's suffrage, Ballance first made an attempt to amend the Electoral Bill in 1879 and expand voting rights to women. A bill to enfranchise women passed in September 1893, months after his April 27, 1893, death of cancer.

Impact

The first Liberal premier, Ballance died in office before he could put into place all of the progressive reforms he had sought. His work was continued by subsequent Liberal ministries who held the government until 1912. His immediate successor, Richard Seddon, oversaw legislation that enacted an old-age pension and aided farmers. During the ministries of Ballance and Seddon, William Pember Reeves, minister of labor, brought about significant labor legislation, including a labor code and the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1894, which mandated arbitration in disputes between workers and management.

Personal Life

Ballance and Fanny Taylor married on June 17, 1863. They immigrated to New Zealand in part for a better environment to aid her poor health, but she died in 1868. Ballance and Ellen Anderson married on May 19, 1870. They had one child, Kathleen, a niece they adopted in 1886.

Bibliography

Cowan, James. “Famous New Zealanders—No. 17 John Balance the Great Liberal Premier.” The New Zealand Railways Magazine, vol. 9, no. 5, 1934. New Zealand Electronic Text Collection, Victoria University of Wellington, nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Gov09‗05Rail-t1-body-d7.html. Accessed 17 June 2020.

“Death of Premier John Ballance.” New Zealand History, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 17 Apr. 2019, nzhistory.govt.nz/death-of-premier-john-ballance. Accessed 17 June 2020.

“History.” Ulster New Zealand Trust at The Ballance House, www.theballancehouse.com/history. Accessed 30 May 2020.

McIvor, Tim. “Ballance, John.” Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, 1993. Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2b5/ballance-john. Accessed 30 May 2020.

Wylie, Liz. “Whanganui’s John Ballance Statue Gets Some Love This Christmas.” Whanganui Chronicle, 27 Dec. 2019, www.nzherald.co.nz/wanganui-chronicle/news/article.cfm?c‗id=1503426&objectid=12296677. Accessed 30 May 2020.