THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 1879.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3084, 6 January 1879, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 1879.

The Hon. J. Sheehan may be expected here about Thursday or Friday next, overland from Waikato, for which district he left on Saturday last. Mr Sheehan, it is said, will visit Alexandra and Te Awamutu before making his way over here, where a native difficulty on a small scale awaits him in the matter of Tukukino's objection to the County road proceeding through his portion of the Koinata. The Native Minister will probably have something to say to other natives on the railway question and the acquirement of land for purposes of the railway, and whatever he may do in this direction will very much simplify the work to be carried out by others. We understand that it is intended to entertain Mr Sheehan at a banquet. We do not see bow our public men can do less, after the way other Ministers have been treated, and taking into consideration how much the district is indebted to Mr Sheehan. We rie^it:not here repeat that Mr Sheehan has been a warm friend to the Thames, even so pronounced as to have come to be looked on as an additional member. Th;s friendship for and interest in the district are not new developments. In the Provincial Executive seven or eight years ago Mr Sheehan gave many proofs of his desire to help us, and subsequently, in the House of [Representatives, he has ever striven to assist our representatives as much as he could without absolutely neglecting his own constituents. It will be remembered that Mr Sheehan was mainly instrumental a few years ago in getting an amended Land Act passed for Auckland, which would have proved an immense boon for Thames people had there been land, in the district open for settlement. The Thames people on that occasion showed their appreciation by banqueting Mr Sheehan—a compliment which he; accepted as a tribute to his public services. Since that time Mr Sheehan has had imposed upon him the duties of a Minister of the Crown in addition to those of an ordinary representative, and under all circumstances he has been greatly instrumental in getting for the Thames some measure of justice. In the matter of the railway his influence has been secondary to none. He it was who first a distinct

promise that it would be scheduled last session and commenced immediately after, and though many were doubtful it that promise would be redeemed, recent events show that he was not speaking rashly. We need not enumerate all Mr Sheehan has dom< for the Thames. Besides his reputation as a statesman and his avowed and proved friendship for '1 hames, he is personally popular, and we hope that his reception and entertainment will be as hearty and as cordial as those accorded to the veterans who preceded him in their visits by only a few weeks.