THE LATE JOHN SHEEHAN, M.H.R.

Colonist, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4170, 20 June 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE LATE JOHN SHEEHAN, M.H.R.

1 i ' (From the ' Lyiteiton; Times.') ~ ' ', Mr John; Sheehan was. the, eldest< son of! Mr David Sheehan,■ one of the original' settlers of "Auckland, l who, though a carEenteiv'by trade, had raised himself to a very, respectable position in society, and was for a long time a member of the Provincial Council. -Like many, men .of ; ,more than ordinary. ability, however, he inherited his talents from his mother. She was a most remarkable woman, and her memory is still cherished \lify many oid-Aucklanders..:JEer house was a centre for many-of. the earlier settlers, in whose affairs she interested herself, and wno looked ;t6'her for counsel, encouragement or consolation} Bushmen; and rough swaggers,, bwho cared for no man, would drop in to j .: I Smother .sheehan," ■■„... ; ■.:■.' and leave their money in her care.' It was no wonder""at all that she was : universally beloved;' and that -al her funeral the people flocked to the grave to'such ah' extent thaifr the town was1 nearly jdeserted.! \ It/was jokingly .' said ,that had. a; fire, occurred a.t ihe./time there: were: not: enough people left: in Auckland to extinguish it.1 Mr Sheehan was' educated'entirely/in' /Auckland.. His father obtained for him the '. best education possible,-and as soon as he was old'enqrugh he was articled.to the late'/Mr^M^^ of; Auckland ( ,Mr Merriman dying,.he was placed;' successively: with[ Messrs Wynn attd :J. B. Euss'ell. -He gave eajrly r promise of' gteat- /ability, and; .madei some, show at thejßar soon after he was admitted. But - '■•>■'- :^j-.; ; poLiTios' were his Proper sphere, and, on; the retirement of his father from local political life,' Mr Sheehan was elected to the Provincial Council at the head of the five members elected to represent the northern division of the Province of Auckland. He was one of those who resolved to ask Sir G. Grey to stand for the Superintendence. Some time before this he had been Provincial Secretary during the Super intendencyof Mr (now Judge) Gillies. In the Council, he gave early promise of that, power in debate of which he afterwards gave so many examples in a larger arena. It was in. the. session of 1872-that he FIRST ENTERED. PARLIAMENT, and in his maiden effort gave evidence of that wonderful readiness of speech which afterwards distinguished him in so marked a manner. The seconder of the Address-in-Keply, from some unexplained cause,' failed to appear in in his place to fulfil the duty.: .Sir William Fox, after the sitting had [begun, stepped across the House and aslted'.Mr Sheehan if he would be ; kind enough to fill the .breach. Without a [moment's hesitation or preparation of notes, without cv.en the orthodox dress suit, M.? Sheehan rose and made a speech on the spur of the moment, which, Sir 'William Pox and Sir E. Stafford spoke of. as the best maiden speech they, had ever heard in the House. It was a speech which drew attention to; the fact that he was the first native of New Zealand of European blood who had sat in the House of Eepresentatives, and at the time it was thought a bold one. He claimed for the native born New Zealanders that, when they came to be representatives of the .people, the interests of the Colony would be better1 served than in the past. Mr Sheehan was a ; ' A/WARM PROYINCIALIST, ' and took a very: leading part in the Parliamentary 'warfare during the dying struggle of Provincialism. Whenr Abolition destroyed the land marks that had hitherto served to distinguish parties, he aided Sir George Grey in the battle with Sir Julius Vogel and the Atkinson party, which culminated in Sir George Grey!s victory in 1877, and the triumph of Liberal principles. In the Government of which Sir G. ;Grey was head, he assumed the portfolio of Native Minister, which he held until the fall* of the Administration. His more recent career is green in the recollection bf; those, who are'familiar politics. He has passed away in comparative youth, being little over ..40 years of :aige, leaving,' it may be truly said,, not one enemy behind him. In the dark days, cf; their .polities he was the life and soul of his party, incomparably the best' debater, with a facilityr bf expression and a genial humor that often scored a point, but ;: NEVER MADE AN ENEMY. His Parliamentary fighting was always of the fairest.; He hit hardj but never below the belt. His nature was : so kindly that he might almost be said not to have possessed a temper, while readiness of resburoe,. knowledge of apropos, and human nature was so i remarkable that to him there never was a Gordian knot too intricate to unravel, or a man. so surly that he could not win him back to a good temper. He was refined in many of his tastes, being no mean musician, and a more than fair linguist. His public utterances were racy, logical, and eloquent. A firm Liberal in politics,, he was a staunch advocate of secular education. He married in 1882, but leaves no family^ To this interesting sketch it is necessary for me to add very little of my own recollections concerning Mr Sheehan. He wag, when at his best, the readiest debater in the House, and to be interrupted with him was synonymous with scoring apoint against the adversary. But he has sadly fallen off durmg'later years, and even his'skill as V tactician and whip was failing:, him ; still if Opposition factions were losing their heads and wasting time in stupid argument and growing / angry, it was always '! Johnny ' Sheehan who rose to pour oil on troubled waters. His Irish gift of ready wit was never maliciously employed, and a personal fascination which he cqulcj. exercise, when he chose, very few could'withstand, even if they

disliked him personally. For John Blie'ehan was one of those ii BBIGHT,"GENIAL, GENEROUS, weak men, of whom it is'customary to to' say that he is" no man's enemy but' his own; into any particulars ,of the reasons why, it is scarcely necessary. toj enter. His abilities .and political experience, were such as might have entitled him, had he been cast in a firjmer mould; to look forward, to grasping the,, highest prize; to,which a,New Zealand statesman may aspire. Simir lai| terms1 relay be used of him- in regard to jhis profession., There I^as^'; man Whlo::return-to.ihe.V i !3Qns,e'^Quld;'liave been more sincerely welcomed., There is no; man' will be more widely regretted when the news 'of his ,: death becomes knownVi Themhas been "no native-born public man ~. who has started in life with more brilliant prospects; none-could leave it under sadder circumstances, or bequeathing to those" who knew; him a more frequent, example of brigtit, promise marred. His death is. the topic of conservation all through the-lobbies. The Government steamer Hmemoa ;was sent to Napier to> convey the remains of Mr Sheehan to Mckland;| where tlie funeral took: place ;on June 16th; The assemblage .on,'that-occa-sion was about 4000, and .among, the: mourners were Sir F. Whitaker, Mr Mitchelson, Major Harris,, M.H.E.'s, and .a number of leading citizens. Thf police force under Superintendent Thomson headed the1 procession. The coffin was: laden' with 'wreaths arid crosses of flowers. ~ Masses were said for the. repose of the soul, of the deceased1 gentleman, also requiem mass; was celebrated. At1 Wellington, m! the jjjouse^pf Kepresentatiyesl^ on. the same afternoon,, .after. .tne :r f6.rmal business J had -been-disposed of, : the Premier (Honv E. Stout) < moved 'the ,adjournment of the House until halfpist seven, as a,,niark. ( .of respect to the, family, the |ate |^r Sheehan. The sppi;e pi!the,late member in! very.i eulogistic -terms,^arid, S.ir Gr. G-yey th» motion in: a very feeling'spirit.,,The House then adjo|umed untilth§ } eVening. o , ;: , ■