Manamatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1880. MR JOHN SHEEHAN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 88, 29 June 1880, Page 2

Manamatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1880. MR JOHN SHEEHAN.

♦ j Although Parliament has been in session over three weeks, Mr John Sheehan — junior member lor the Thames, one of the " lights " of the great Liberal party, and formerly Native Ninister, — has not yet honoure^.the Empire City with his presence." A day or two after the session began, he addressed his constituents at Grrabamstown, and it was then, announced he intended. to leave for Wellington in two or three "days. JThe days have lengthened into weeks, and still Mr Sheehan lingers in the Auckland district,, and neglects the legislative duties for which a generous country pays him £5510 per annum. As to his occupation in ihe meantime, the following telegram, dated "Auckland, Friday,"will give an indication : "Harry Simmons, a J^lf-caste and great Land Court pleader, wa's married today at Cambridge, and gave a large dmne'rat the National Hotel. Mr Sheehan presided." precisely. That IS just what might *be expected. While Parliament is devising means for exjfricating the country from its desperate financial' condition, Mr Sheehan is in all probabity " fiddling " at a Maori wedding, or enjoying i the (to him) .rapturous delight of a haka. " flow are the mighty fallen !" The career of Mr Sheehan has been j a most disappointing one. He went into public life, early, and has had every opportunity of acquiring honourable distinction in the service of the country. When he entered Parliament, it was as the champion of the natives against the land rings .which had perpetrated so many frauds •upon them. Before hi*, -entry tato the House he had done good service to the native by- the -unflinching manner in which he had struck at the East Coast land swindlers, and his advent in Parliament Was : -' hailed .as a ■•• mean .towards justice being done to' the For a time he persevered as •t».pri?Ate rAmberfidMfi,^..4fe : 4iad •assumedf.- Jrot «ipdn *Ms -«ntry^ into office as Native Minister a steady course of declension began. It was at once evident that the position was too great for th« man. Mr Shwban

?|o™|noT*is«Ft6 the dignity of his (fflioe as a Cabinet Minister, and consequently the office had to.confedovrtfc to him ; in fact, the condiW|?;their^ Native Minister went a very long way towards securing the ejection of the Grey Government from office last yew. >iu&fter. his expulsion from Mroheehan actually engaged 'the service, of Mr Whittaker, (agaiagkjKiufee native land purchases he haduttered the strongest diatribes in the House), in securing the title of certain large blocks of native land in the Waikato district, and his action formed a most striking commentary upon his speeches in Parliament. Since tfien'He*" has sunk Into "com 1 - i parative obscurity. Now we find him neglecting to take his peat in Parliament.and spending his time at a Maori wedding. We cannot wonder at the reluctance he shows to appear in his seat at The terrible disclosures as to Mr Sheehan's management of the Native Department made by Mr Bryce in moving " The Native Land Sales Bill " were sufficient to deter a man with even a greater amount of effrontery than Mr Sheehan possesses from facing the representatives who had trusted him, and who" now find how unmistakeably they were " sold. " The attractions of a jollification amongst the dark-eyed belles at a Maori wedding .will be greater to " Johnny " than the disclosures of a Native Statement, or the " new scheme of local finance." Perhaps in a few days, when |ue publia indignation as to the tens of thousands of poundß lost by his mismanagement lias cooled down, the ex - Minister will appear on the Parliamentary stage with his jaunty,' " cock-a-doodle-doo " air, and will condescend to do something towards earning his honorarium. If he were guided by wise counsels, he would regard his Parliamentary career in the same light as every one but his hangers-on and himself regard it, viz., as a complete jiaaco, and would retire from the senate of the Colony until his judgment had matured, his peccadilloes were forgotten, and his reputation retrieved. It is generally' understood a coolness has sprung up between Sir George Grey and him since he entered Mr Whifctaker's service, and we can well understand that Sir- George would look: upon snch a< connection as treason to the party, and would give Mr Sheehan the cold shoulder in consequence. However that may be, it is certain that though Mr Sheehan may command a small personal following in the House, he will have but little weight even with his party. He is a spoiled child of fortune, and like all spoiled children will be a nuisance to everybody about him,and will never be able to settle down to the hard, solid work of statecraft. His j opportunities for . taking a leading place in the councils of the country have been .great, but he has been unable to appreciate them, and will probably retire altogether from the public gaze at next general election.