John Ballance

prime minister of New Zealand

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Born:: March 27, 1839, Glenavy, County Antrim, N.Ire.

Died:: April 27, 1893, Wellington, N.Z. (aged 54)

Title / Office:: prime minister (1891-1893), New Zealand

Political Affiliation:: Liberal Party

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John Ballance (born March 27, 1839, Glenavy, County Antrim, N.Ire.—died April 27, 1893, Wellington, N.Z.) was the prime minister of New Zealand (1891–93) who unified the Liberal Party, which held power for 20 years; he also played a major role in the enactment of social welfare legislation.

After working as an ironmonger in Birmingham, Eng., the self-educated Ballance emigrated to Wanganui, N.Z., in 1865. There he was editor of the Wanganui Herald and fought against the native Maoris. Entering Parliament in 1875, he advocated abolition of provincial governments. As colonial treasurer in 1878, he introduced a land tax to raise revenue more equitably. As minister of lands, defense, and native affairs in 1884–87, he tried to shift landownership from monopolists to small farmers and to retain crown land while preventing abuses in the sale of Maori land.

During his term as prime minister, Ballance imposed progressive land and income taxes and gained for the government the right to repurchase private land for development. He combatted the lingering depression by limiting government borrowing and won reduction of life membership in the upper house to a seven-year term, curtailing the power of his opponents. His cabinet was noted for its distinguished ministers, including William Pember Reeves, who sponsored pioneering labour-protection legislation; John McKenzie, who fought against land monopolies; and Ballance’s successor, Richard John Seddon.

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Sir John McKenzie

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Sir John McKenzie

New Zealand statesman

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Born:: 1838, Ardross, Ross, Scot.

Died:: Aug. 6, 1901, Shag Point, N.Z. (aged 63)

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Sir John McKenzie (born 1838, Ardross, Ross, Scot.—died Aug. 6, 1901, Shag Point, N.Z.) was a New Zealand statesman who, as minister of lands (1891–1900), sponsored legislation that provided land and credit to small farmers and helped to break up large estates.

McKenzie’s deep antagonism toward land monopolists was rooted in his boyhood in Scotland, where he witnessed the dispossession of small farmers by Highland landlords. After immigrating to New Zealand in 1860, he farmed and served in the Otago provincial council (1871–76). Elected to Parliament as an independent in 1881, he was legislative whip for the ministry of Sir Robert Stout (1884–87) and was named minister of lands and agriculture in 1891 by Liberal Prime Minister John Ballance, who shared McKenzie’s determination to create opportunities for small farmers.

In 1892 McKenzie won passage of the Lands for Settlement Act that opened up crown land for leasing and, when amended in 1894, compelled owners of large estates to sell portions of their holdings. Also in 1894 he introduced the Government Advances to Settlers Act, which greatly expanded the supply of credit available to farmers, and he sponsored a plan for unemployed workers to clear and then lease landholdings. He promoted scientific methods in agriculture, and by the time of his retirement in 1900 he had laid the foundations for the present Ministry of Agriculture. He was knighted in 1901.

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