The Globe. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1875.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 217, 18 February 1875, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1875.

Judging from recent telegrams and communications from the North Island, it would appear that the Ohinemuri will shortly be opened as a goldfield. Amongst the telegrams will be found a report of Dr Pollen’s reception of a deputation, which, headed by Mr Charles O’Neill, waited upon him with reference to the new goldfield. The regulations under which the new field are to be opened seem fair and liberal enough, but the question of course will be whether there will arise any dispute between the crowd of miners from all parts of New Zealand, who will inevitably rush to

the Ohinemuri, as soon as it is proclaimed open, and the natives who were so lately the owners of the soil. The recent death of the Superintendent of Auckland complicates this question somewhat. The Superintendent received certain powers from the Governor under the Goldfields Act, and these powers have now reverted to the Governor. He, it is stated, will be advised to retain the same or delegate them to a Commissioner nominated by the Government. As the Yogel Ministry are going to sweep away Superintendents altogether, the probable reign of the gentleman who may be elected to fill Mr Williamson’s place will be but short, but he may require some explanation as to why he should not be entrusted with the same powers as his predecessor, even although his Superintendency may be but for a short period. A telegram states there is a feeling at Grabamstown and Ohinrmuri that the powers spoken ot would be exercised more for the benefit of the field by the Governor or by a Commissioner, than by the Superintendent and Provincial Government of Auckland, and the same telegram goes on to say that Mr James Mackay, who has been so successful in his dealings with the Maoris, should have the crntrol for some months in the view of possible difficulties with the Natives. Whetherthepowerswhich would be exercisedin the ordinary course of things by the Superintendent of Auckland over the new goldfield, would be exercised better by a new Superintendent or by a Commissioner we do not care to argue, but if is to be the case that a Commissioner is to be appointed why should Mr James Mackay be selected? He may be a very good man in dealing with Natives and in persuading them to accept a fair price for their lands. But is he the sort of man who should be entrusted with special powers, on a new goldfield which will probably attract one of the largest rushes of diggers of the present day ? Judging from accounts we have seen in the Northern papers, Mr Mackay is a man of decidedly warm and ungovernable temper, and if this is the case, if there is no trouble with the natives, there most certainly will be with the white population. The diggers who have been pursuing their busines for some years in New Zealand, ever since the Otago diggings broke out, are a fine class of men with but few exceptions, but they are the very last people in the colony to put up with arbitary or overbearing conduct on the part of any official who may be connected with the new gold-field. If the fresh field should prove at all equal to the expectations formed of it, a large number of diggers from this island will inevitably make their way up North, and if the official head at the Ohinemuri should be notoriously in favour of the Maori, as against the white man, there will be trouble arising from the fact. We hope, however, that, if a Commissioner should be appointed, it will be some gentleman well known to diggers in the North Island at all events, and if the field prove rich, the expense of keeping Mr Mackay in an appointment in which he might watch over the interests of the Maori tribes will be of comparatively little moment, whilst his presence on the ground would be of great value in keeping the peace.