Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1880.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 206, 22 October 1880, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1880.

Of late the Opposition journal n have been amusing themselves in concocting and putting in circulation all sorts of rumors regard ing possible and probable changes in the personnel of the present Ministry. Some of these might, if changes were in contemplation, claim at least to have a show of reason in them while others are so absurd that they cannot he entertained for a momeut. The latest of all, however, is the most extravagant and ridiculous, and must have put to n severe test the imaginative powers of iis inventor. Ifc is to the effect that there is a likelihood of Mr Sbeehan joining the Ministry, indeed, that it ia an event which may happen any day. Imagine the late Native Minister joining a Government of which tho present holder of the portfolio was, or even bad been, a member! All readers of Han sard, or of the telegraphic summaries of the Parliamentary proceedings which appeared in the p»pers, must remember how unmercifully in the last session the usually quiet aud peaceable Mr Bryce lashed the absent Sheehan, how pitilessly he exposed him and all his works, and how he astonished the House by 6howing up the utter recklessness of this wild, mischievous, devil-rnayctire philo-Maori, on the ocension of whose acceptance of a seat in the Cabinet Sir George Grey took the opportunity of •congratulating the people of the colony upon one of her own sous having conic forward to take a prominent part in Bhaping bei career. Now, however, if Mr Sheehan is ever thought of at all osa " son," it is in connection with the adjective prodigal, while the were mention of hia name, if not suggestive of husks and awiue, invariably coujuree •up the peculiar aroma arising from unwashed Maoris. But this is a digression, and leaving Mr Sheel-ian and natives we must return to Mr Sheehan and the Native Minister. After Mr Bryce's scathing speech, the public were on the tip toe of expectation

of the reply. We were told thßt if we would only wait patiently until Mr Sheeban wa9 able to tear himself away from the congenial companionship he was then enjoying, and to shake himself free of his engagements as president at Maori weddings on the Ea9t Coast, anrl so on, we should hear auch a reply fo the Gatling gun-like fire of accusations that bad been opened upon him by Mr Bryce that rhe latter, before the peech was over, would begin to think that it would be better for him had he never been born. Well, after many weeks and the receipt of numerous reminders Mr Sheehan remembered that the Parliament was sitting in Wellington, and that be ought to be sitting in Parliament. So he bade farewell to his numerous Maori friends, and wended his way to Wellington. People thought that so indignant would he be at tbe vile aspersions upon his character that the thunder of his wrath and an indignant refutation of Mr liryco's calumnies would burst from his innocent lips immediately upon his taking his seat, hut there was no thunderstorm tbaf Jiiaht; nor tlie next; nor the next} nor had ft broken wh'-n the prnrogution took place ■■ Sil< j fcf," it h emetKl'y admitted, • gives * twiii," Mi<t Sf that rule* applies in every instance, Mr Sheehan-'s silence must be accepted as an a^micsion of tbe charges made against him. And yet we are now told that he is to become a coll< ague of those who so mereileps'y exposed his gross misconduct and Bcnndalous abuse of the positlou of Native Minister to which be had risen under Sir George Grey's wit;g. Surely the rumor manufacturers, even in the present dull n'mes when there is a dearth of any public news of iuterest, could find some better raw matprial to work up, and display a little more cleverness in thnr maniiulatiou of i : than they have done in tbe concretion of ibis silly canard. It 5 not, let them at once admit that they are unequal to the task they have undertaken.