THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. MONDAY, MARCH 25, 1872.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 143, 25 March 1872, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. MONDAY, MARCH 25, 1872.

There is to be a great native gathering at Ohinemuri to-day, at which his Honor the Superintendent and Mr James Mackay. jun., will be present. We trust it may result in furthering the long-pending negotiations for opening up this part of the countiy. So many attempts have been made, having this object in view, which have all come to nothing, that we have almost lost faith in Governmental and pakelia-Maori diplomacy alike, as regards this matter. Decided progress has, however, been made in the right direction of late. The telegraphic wire is now stretched across the hitherto forbidden country, steamers run daily to and from the Thames, and Europeans travel without much difficulty by way of Ohinemuri to the East Coast. This is a very different state of . things from that which existed not long i ago, and shows how much the Maori mind has advanced in favour of European civilisation. There is another 1 reason which is not unlikely to weigh with many of the natives : owing to the , long season of dry weather, the crops are very poor, and money is not un- < likely to be wanted more than it has 1 been for some time. Everything, in * fact, points favourably to the opening r up of Ohinemuri at last. We all t

know Mr Mackay’s grlat influence with the natives. He accompanies the Superintendent on this occasion, and we have no doubt their united efforts will have good effect. The advantages of opening up this part of the country have been so frequently descanted upon that it is unnecessary for us now to enlarge upon it. What we would urge is that there never appeared to us so good a chance of at once settling the Ohincmuri question. Whether the long promised and coveted land is likely to turn out all that has been prophesied of it may be doubtful, but that its being thrown open would be highly advantageous to the Thames and the colony generally is beyond dispute. The sooner, therefore, the matter is settled the better. Even if a good price lias to be paid for it, we believe it will be cheap at the price. In view of the largo immigration we are led to expect shortly from Europe, it is very necessary that provision should be made for their settlement, and the more land that is acquired from the natives, the sooner this will be accomplished. At the present time the greater part of the land in the district, which is worth anything at all, is in the hands of the Maoris, and for the most part unproductive. The Thames furnishes a first-rate market for a large amount of produce, which might be raised in the immediate neighbourhood, but which has to be brought from a distance because land lias hitherto been to a great extent locked up. It will be far more to the public benefit that the Government should succeed in getting the Maoris to sell or lease a portion of their land at Ohinemuri, than that a lot of land-sharks should get hold of it for speculative purposes. The difficulties hitherto thrown in the way of getting laud has been one of the chief reasons why New Zealand has not advanced in population and wealth as her great resources, salubrity of climate, geographiclial position, and other advantages would warrant. The old obstacle, the war with the natives, is now happily at ail end, and from one end of the country to the other there is peace. All that is required is a sufficiency of labour and capital to utilize the great resources of the country to make New Zealand one of the most prosperous of the colonies under the British flag. The opening up of Ohinemuri would be a great step gained in this direction, and we rejoice to think that this auspicious event now appears to us nearer than it ever did before. We shall look forward with considerable interest to the result of the present visit of the {Superintendent and Mr Mackay. to the promised land, in the strong belief that it will have a most favourable result on the future welfare of the district. Mr Mackay has long been striving to attain the object now in view, and his perseverance in the matter is deserving of the highest praise. The Superintendent is not a very great favourite with the Thames people, but if lie succeeds in assisting to advance the Ohinemuri question, and to bring it to a successful issue, he will have done much to make them think well of him —in this instance at all events—and to accord him all the thanks and gratitude due to his Honor for the part he has taken in this important question.