MR. SHEEHAN AT THE THAMES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5552, 14 January 1879, Page 3

MR. SHEEHAN AT THE THAMES.

(PEE PEES 3 AGENCY.) Geahamstown, Monday.

The Hon. Mr. Sheehan, Native Minister, was entertained by the Thames people at a banquet, given at Gresham Hall, to-night. There were about 200 present. His Worship the Mayor presided ; the County Chairman in the vioe-chair. The toast of “ The Ministry and the Parliament of New Zealand ” was responded to by the Hon. Hoani Nahe and Mr. W. Rowe, M.H.R., but nothing of importance was said by them. The “Health of the Hon. John Sheehan” was given by the Chairman, who spoke of the guest of the evening as holding a high place in the esteem of the Thames people, for he had done his best at all times to promote their welfare. He was similarly entertained at the Thames in 1874, and had since done nothing to forfeit the esteem of the Thames residents. The placing of the Thames Valley line on the Estimates was largely due to him. Mr. Sheehan had during the past week seen an immense area of excellent land in the Upper Thames, which comprised millions of acres, ready to be settled upon. Mr. Maoandrew had not travelled over from Waikato and seen the lands there, but Mr. Sheehan had, aud Would know the value of country better than the Minister for Public Works.

Mr. Sheehan, in reply, said (after an ovation) that he was puzzled to know why he had been singled out for this honor. The Thames was a festive place. They had had the Premier and the Native Minister here, and as some persons required a “ pick me up ” he thought he had been taken up in much the same way, to put matters straight. He was afraid Captains Murray and Wildman wanted to score one by getting something out of him that evening, when they spoke of volunteer wants. He remembered the time when Mr. Swanson, M.H.H., proposed that all the Auckland merchants should meet on Barrack Hill and burn each other’s dishonored bills. He then spoke to a friend who was off to Japan, and he had thoughts of going to the Whau himself, until the Thames opened up and elated them all, and led to the public works policy of 1869. Auckland people sent their money and men to the Thames to assist yon, and the old Provincial Government, of which he was a member, did all they could. He proposed a loan. Works at that time included the Thames railway. He had helped the railway, it was true, but did not wish to sound his own praises. He was simply desirous of endorsing the bill the Government had drawn upon him. He did not consider this a political meeting, and did not wish to transgress that point. Re public lands, he was told that Mr. Macandrew had found on inspection that Otago was not New Zealand ; and he could endorse his statement, for a finer stretch of country could not be found than the Upper Thames, and he spoke thus as the result of his visit. What was wanted was that the Thames people should have the Thames lands. That was the object of the Act of 1874. It would be a pity if the heart of this country had been given to Broomhall. We have redeemed our pledge that the land shall be opened for the Thames people. ' He wished to acquire the lands for the people, in opposition to private purchasers. That was his aim at present. (Cheers.) He had to encounter the enmity of an enormous power in doing this, but he told them plainly that the Government would euchre them yet. Thrice was he armed who had his cause just. He did not wish to burst up large estates, but did insist on the right of the public to have the unearned increment, as it had been called. A paper published in the Empire City had said the Waikato line would not pay grease for the wheels. They knew the man and bis little mind. The fact was they had all the additions to make as good and payable a line as any in the country ; good land and population and resources. They had merely scraped the Peninsula of the Thames. Their land resources and timber were unknown to the South. If the line did not pay it would not be the fault of the country, but the residents. The Harbor Bill was not so satisfactory as they would wish, but it went through in bad - company. The Darwinian theory would, however, apply to it. He had a difficult task in conserving the native interests, and should have fair criticism throughout the colony. He had paid a tribute when entering his office to his predecessor, but had not been well treated in return by the professed friends of the late Sir Donald McLean. At first Rewi was played off against the King, and now it was the reverse. All they wanted was to feather their own nests, and they cared little for anything else. An East Coast paper had recently referred to Hauhaus at Katikati, but that was only a sample of some of the rubbish which at times found its way into print. He had just seen another statement about bis being turned back at Mokau, which was quite untrue. The Maoris sometimes believed these things. The Native Office was one of mystery ; but for ways that are dark and tricks that are vain commend him to a pakeha Maori, They nursed the idea of a native war. He had no personal interest to serve ; had no -ransactiona of his own in any form with native lands, and the time was coming when such men would be appreciated over the others. Mr. Sheehan concluded with an exoellent.peroration on the administration of native affairs. He wished to see that the balance was evenly held between the two races. •

The Hon. Mr. Sheehan interviewed Tukukino at Te Komata this morning. He was accompanied by the County Chairman and the gentlemen who have been with him through Waikato. The river steamer TeAroha-went as far as Te Puke, arriving there at 1.30 this morning. At about six o’clock Mr. Sheehan started for Tukukino’s kainga, which is about two miles distant, to see the old chief about the obstruction offered by him' to the Thames and Ohinemuri-road passing through- his land, that being the only difficulty now existing to the making of a g»od road between the two places. On arrival at Komata the Native Minister was

hot received with the usual welcome, Tukukino being evidently very dark. After a while food was offered to tlio visitors, and when a sufficient time had been spent in silence to satify the native idea of propriety, Mr. Sheehan opened the meeting by informing Tnkukino of the business upon which he had come, and that as he had only a short time to stay he would bring the matter forward at once, and hear what Tukukino had to say. Tukukino replied that he objected to the road being taken over his land, that New Zealand had been created for the Maoris, and a deal more to the same effect. Mr. Sheehan told him that he had not come to discuss the matter, but to tell the natives what he meant to do. He had given the subject long and careful consideration. The road was required for both races, and would be entirely for their advantage. If the road was not to be fenced, and they were not compensated, it would be different. They-might then have ground for complaint, but all their interests were well protected, and he could not allow one man to stand in the way of what would be a public benefit, and for the carrying out of which the law provided. After some further remarks had been made, Mr. Sheehan told Tukukino that he had decided to allow the matter to rest for six weeks until the Waikato meeting, at which Tukukino said he would be present, and then the matter must be settled, and the road taken. At this Tukukino was much pleased, and there was an entire change in his manner, and he accompanied th Native Minister to Te Puke. On arriving at that . place a number of settlers had come in from Paeroa (Ohinemuri) to see the Hon. Mr, Sheehan, but as it was necessary to catch the tide that the steamer should leave at 11.30 Mr. Sheehan promised to visit Paeroa to-morrow morning. The party reached the Kopua Wharf at about four o’clock.

On landing on the wharf Mr. Sheehan was met by his Worship the Mayor, Mi. McCulloch, Mayor of the Thames, Mr. Davies, chairman of the Harbor Board, and other gentlemen.

The Chairman of the Harbor Board stated that he had been requested by the board to ask Mr. Sheehan to open and name the wharf, which had been built with the assistance of the present Government. We should like it to be called after some member of the Government. (Cries of Sheehan.) But as he had not had an opportunity of consulting with his colleagues of the Board he would suggest the name of Te Kopua. Mr. Sheehan, in reply, said it would afford him much pleasure in complying with the request. He was not a Thames man, but he had always taken the greatest interest in the place, and had done-whateyer he could for it. The wharf which they had erected was a great public convenience. Without it he would not have been able to do what he. had done to-day. He congratulated them upon the agricultural resources of the district, which were second to none in the colony, and they should not develop those resources, and keep their eggs in only one 'basket—the gold industry. He believed that the prognostications of Captain Cook would be fulfilled and that upon the shores of the New Zealand Thames there would be another London, equalling in size and importance her elder namesake of the mother country. As regards naming the wharf after members of the Government, there were two members connected with the Thames—the Premier and Hr. Nahe. He well knew the services of the former, and none could take a deeper interest in the Thames than Mr. Nahe, whose residence was near the wharf. However, he thought that the local name was the best, and would declare the wharf duly opened by the name of Te Kopua. After champagne, the party returned to Grahamstown.