A member of a wealthy Dublin brewing family, he was born in London in 1829 and attended Rugby School.
By the 1850s he was in Australia, married with three children, but alone when he turned up in Queenstown in 1862, becoming a regular contributor to the Lake Wakatip Mail.
His contributions included material which in May 1875 led prominent businessman Denis Powell to accost him in Ballarat St, "assaulting and beating him with his fists and kicking and horsewhipping him".
Elected as MP in 1876, Manders opened himself to ridicule by endorsing Slesinger’s Balsam in advertising which ran for months, "the vial you gave me proved most efficacious in curing chronic attacks of lumbago".
On the hustings he was a figure of fun, one Dunedin paper describing him thus: "after delivering an eloquent (?) address, Mr Manders pulled up a faultless collar, specially prepared by ‘Maggie’ his favourite housekeeper and said he was ready to receive any question".
"The question of stone-breaking machine was at that time agitating the ‘horny-handed’ and a road-side navvy, in stentorian tones, bawled out, ‘Begorra, now Manders, me boy, tell me if you’re in favour of brakin’ stones by machine or by hand?’ The intelligent candidate hesitated for a moment and then, with the most perfect self-confidence exclaimed, ‘I am’."
In February 1877 the "favourite" housekeeper Margaret McKean was charged with beating her employer and breaking a window of his house. The case was dismissed.
In July Manders got married to Eliza Parish in Dunedin but as he and his bride boarded the Wakatipu bound for Wellington and the next parliamentary session Margaret McKean appeared, waving a photograph and exclaiming, "that’s Mrs Manders and I’d like to find her".
Manders disembarked only to end up in court when Margaret accused him of stealing her property and it was the list of items which brought laughter in court: "one feather bed, four sheets, ladies’ underclothing, half-dozen pillowcases, a dressing-table, two dresses and 15 fowls".
A reporter noted, "the member for Wakatipu has been hovering about the hall of justice with a long swallowtail and a look of concern that would admirably become the chief mourner at a funeral".
Margaret won the case but still sought vengeance, turning up at Wellington’s Occidental Hotel, demanding to see Mrs Manders.
A row ensued and the proprietor "was obliged to ask the gentleman and two ladies to seek fresh quarters".
Manders’ independence saw him being courted by the party politicians.
The Otago Daily Times reported, "Mr Manders is being shepherded by the Opposition, his wants being carefully attended to".
"He seldom comes to the House except in a carriage and pair, accompanied by the Opposition whips and then often secretly is put into a room and furnished with the good things of this life."
In the House Manders’ "curiously happy" frame of mind was often noted as were his frequent cries of "hear, hear" just at the moment when "he had woken from a deep sleep".
He bemused many by objecting to women being given the vote in local licensing elections and recommending Stewart Island as a national penitentiary location.
But the old Rugbeian scored a hit when, after being called to order for addressing members as "Gentlemen" ("Honorable Members" is the accepted parliamentary term), he at once "apologised in his usual graceful and airy manner, explaining that he thought for the moment that he was addressing an audience of gentlemen".
In January 1878 his welcome home from Wellington was lively.
As the steamer from Kingston reached the Queenstown wharf, "several persons, representing the farming and dairying interest, were present with samples of superior Wakatip flour and new-laid eggs, but owing to the precautions taken only one specimen of the latter reached its destination".
In 1879 he lost his seat but was tipped to be appointed to the Legislative Council.
He was overlooked for this role and spent his last years in the company of an old miner.
During a drinking bout in January 1891 Henry Manders died at the age of 62, having literally drunk himself to death.
The comedy had turned to tragedy but the Lake County Press reminded its readers, "as the Parliamentary representative of the district he did much therefor".
"Will the public remember the good that this remarkable man has done?" — They didn’t.
• Jim Sullivan is a Patearoa writer.
