THE THIRD TIME; OR, HEADS OR TAILS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1841, 21 May 1885, Page 2

THE THIRD TIME; OR, HEADS OR TAILS.

TnEitE i» nothing that carries weight like a fact. On three successive occasions has Mr Sheehan been invited to contest the seat, for the representation of Tauranga in the Hou»e of Representatives. In 1881 was the first occasion. A large and influential meeting was then called here at which Mr Kelly was present and expreased himself in this wise : "that on any future occasion he would give hia best support to Sheehan and not oppose him." This was in the presence of numbers, who will recall the occasion and how it came about that Mr Kelly came forward as oue of the three candidates who then fought for the seat. At the last general election the same invitation was repeated by the same party and pressed upon Mr Sheehan that he should consent to be nominated for Tauranga ; he was told of£ for Napier instead and contested that seat,

On the present occasion Mr Sheehan is running in obedience to the same call of diity, and the very man who is opposing him is the celebrated spokesman who in 1881 pledged himself "on any future occasion" to support the leader of that party into which he had wriggled himself— for honors. How strange is the memory of man ! What an elastic faculty is that which developed abnormally at election times and obliterates all record of previous assurances. Such is the present spectacle 1 -. Mr Kelly has forgotten and is splitting his own party. Mr Sheehan and Mr Kelly are professedly the supporters of the same line of policy ; one i>lan is a leader, the other is in the tail. A tail is a very useful appendage when in right position but A detached tail looks very like as if there had, been c a death' as the fox-hunters say, and as the application of the moral is within the reach of the most limited capacity, it is not necessary to add an explauation. If there is to be any safety or wisdom in the running the head must lead, and the tail well placed follows neatly behind, There are positive principles that must be admitted and this is one of them.