THE Thames Advertiser. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 1874.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1908, 2 December 1874, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 1874.

The licensing meeting yesterday was interesting as the first under the amendment Act of last session, but the Good Templars made no appearance at all in the way of opposition to the granting of licenses. The difficulty as to' the Ohinemuri houses has been got over. Last year Te Moananui had become a Good Templar, and, like all converts, was disposed to carry his principles to an extreme. He was an assessor under the Outlying Districts Sale of Spirits Act, and at the licensing meeting point blank refused to sign the certificate. That difficulty was got over yesterday by Taipari being the only one of the assessors present. Te Moananui's zeal for putting down the liquor traffic in Ohinemuri only resulted in worse practices than ever. The licensing meetings are now quarterly, instead of yearly, and all applications for transfers of licenses, as well as for new houses, must come before the Court. The chairman of the Commissioners, however, is at liberty to grant a transfer temporarily. It is rather surprising/to find that with all the complaints of bad times, four new licenses were applied for.

had thought that for one day we might have been permitted to come out without comment on the affairs of Ohinemuri, but . it would seem that it is bot to be so, as both of our Auckland contemporaries yesterday treat the subject in such a way as necessitates our Betting; them right at once. Evidently the Ministry do not like it to be said that tho Native Minister is not doing his utmost to open Ohinemuri, and the ' Cross' does its best to justify his action, or rather his inaction. That best, however, amounts to very little, not from want of ability on the part of our contemporary, but because he has very little material to work with. The • Cross' publishes • certaiu telegrams which have passed between Mr Mackay and Sir Donald McLean, aud relies upon them for a justification. The first is from Mr Mackay to the Native Minister suggesting that he should telegraph that he . cannot say exactly when he can visit the Thames, and that he has a great deal to do elsewhere. The second is a telegram from Sir D. McLean to the desired effect. This is not new, as we published the telegram ou the day after it was read to the natives, Wa aaid at the time that the telegram did not show any great anxiety to assist Mr Mackay, and we feel, sure it had no effect amongst the natives, although Mr Mackay was' polite enough to say so, in a telegram to Sir D. McLean. The ' Cross' then goes on to say that it would not be just for the Native Minister to interfere now, wheu Mr Mackay bad had all the trouble of the preliminary negotiations. We certainly are not disposed to invoke the aid of the .Native Miuister when it is not wanted, but we feel doubtful if ia this case Mr Mackay—believing, as the natives do, that he is looked on coldly by the Government—can make the best possible arrangement. , We say that it is not fair or just that the Government should leave him iu his present position. It is perhaps' hardly needful to say that we do not assume in any way to .-speak .Mr Mackay's sentiments. We have not been able to see bo clearly eye to eye wiih Mr Mackay in his proceedings in.reference to the Upper Thames, as to be now in the position of his mouthpiece. But we think that Sir Donald McLean should now come forward, and say to the natives, " This we are going to do." As it is, Mr Mackay has no back. Apparently, Mr Mackay has been driven to consent to allowing promises to pay with land at Ohinemuri to be put upon Waikawau and Cape Colville, and then it merely comes to be a question of price per acre for these lands to swallow up all the " raihana" that have been issued. How much better would it be for the Government to say, "We will make ample reserves for you; we will give you a fair price for your laud, and invest that money for your benefit, and for your childreu; we shall open these hills for gold mining, and shall take roads or railways through this flat." That would be infinitely better for the natives than the present system of giving them money which they spend iu drink, or even iu stores, which simply keeps them in idleness. But we believe that the Native Minister, even without going this length, might acquire. Ohinemuri, The ' Cross' goes on to say"Meanwhile, what is wanted is to preveut any underhand influence being exercised with the natives iu the interest of land speculators." So far as we have fouud any " underhand influence,'' we have done what we could to expose and ! denounce it. No undorbaud influence has, however, been traced distiuotly to

| land speculators, and wedo not think that any Auckland land speculators would be stupid enough to go in for Ohinemuri lands in the present state of the law. To use a vtsry common metaphor, the ' Cross' wishes probably to draw a red herring across the scent. \Ye won't have it As for the 'Herald,' he thinks that Ohinemuri would be of no benefit if ifc were opened. He gives a few examples of sensational headings which he says he has seen in the Thames Advertiser about gold at Ohinemuri. He has simply imagined these. We have never been very sanguine about rich { gold deposits being at Ohinemuri, and if such are found we shall be agreeably surprised. But we say this place ought not to be cut off from the interior, • as it is bjr the blockade at Ohinemuri. What would the Aucklanders say if the country' were shut against them' from Papakura 1 What indeed did •' they say when the Land League closed the Waikato against,them? They at once plunged the : colony into war, and confiscated the land., If -anything like that had to be done in this ..case we should not say a word,;bufc submit to fate. It ig because we'are convinced that the Government'could remove the obstruction,'.but does- not' choose to'do so, that we complain...', J ;