March 27
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John Ballance
John Ballance
On this date in 1839, John Ballance was born in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, the first of 11 children. The ironmonger’s apprentice emigrated first to Birmingham, then, with his new wife, to New Zealand.
First elected to the House of Representatives in 1875 on a ticket calling for free education, Ballance later became Minister of Education and Minister of Finance. He was then appointed Native Minister and Minister for Defence and Lands. Ballance founded his country’s Liberal Party. In 1891, Ballance was elected the 14th Prime Minister of New Zealand as a Liberal.
“He took his politics from his liberal mother, who had a Quaker upbringing, rather than his conservative Church of Ireland father. Ultimately, Ballance rejected Christianity altogether, becoming a free thinker.” (Ulster historian Gordon Lucy, Belfast News Letter, July 23, 2018)
Ballance co-founded the Wanganui Freethought Association in 1883 and published The Freethought Review from 1883 to 1885.
He is credited with many progressive reforms, improving government relations with Maoris, and calling for the “absolute equality of the sexes.” As premier, Ballance secured the right to vote for his countrywomen, making New Zealand the first country to do so. He died at age 54 at the height of his popularity after surgery to treat an intestinal disease. (D. 1893)
© Freedom From Religion Foundation. All rights reserved.“A man is not good for much unless there be something of the heretic in him; unless he has a mind so independent, honest, and courageous as to think for himself, and also to choose his own opinions.”
— The Freethought Review (Oct. 1, 1883)
