BALLANCE, JOHN (1839-1893), New Zealand statesman, eldest son of Samuel Ballance, farmer, of Glenavy, Antrim, Ulster, was born on March 27, 1839. He migrated to New Zealand, and founded the Wanganui Herald, of which he became editor and remained chief owner for the rest of his life. During the fighting with the Maori chief Titokowaru, in 1867, Ballance helped to raise a troop of volunteer horse, in which he received a commission. He entered the colony's parliament in 1875 and, with one interval (1881-84), sat there till his death. Ballance was a member of three ministries, that of Sir George Grey (1877-79) ; that of Sir Robert Stout (1884-87) ; and that of which he himself was premier (1891-93) . His alliance with Grey ended with a notorious and very painful quarrel. In the Stout government his portfolios were those of lands and native affairs ; but it was at the treasury that his prudent and successful finance made the chief mark. As native minister his policy was pacific and humane, and in his last years he contrived to adjust equitably certain long-standing diffi culties relating to reserved lands on the west coast of the North Island. He was resolutely opposed to the sale of crown lands for cash, and advocated with effect their disposal by perpetual lease. His system of state-aided "village settlements," by which small farms were allotted to peasants holding by lease from the crown, and money lent them to make a beginning of building and cultiva tion, was on the whole successful. But his best achievement was the imposition, in 1891, of the progressive land-tax and progressive income-tax. As premier he brought together the strong experi mental and progressive party which long held office in New Zealand.