THE Thames Advertiser. THURSDAY, DEC ,3, 1874.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1909, 3 December 1874, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser. THURSDAY, DEC ,3, 1874.

Things have taken a queer turn at Ohinemuri. After weeks of fruitless squabbling, Mr Mackay seems to have failed to get the natives to come to any kind of arrangement, and to have declared that the hills would be opened for gold mining without their consent. Te Moananui and Te Hirawere as obdurate as ever, and Mr Mackay bad before him the choice of either determining to disregard their opposition or to throw up the sponge, and allow them a complete victory. Would that such a course as this had been taken five years ago 1 That is to say, so far as disregarding the dictum of the small party who have lorded at once the rest of the natives, the Europeans, and the ■Government. But will the Government back Mr Mackay in the step hehaß taken, or carry the matter further than ho appears to have done ? Mr Mackay says ho will take for gold mining the land from Kurere, the present boundary of the goldfield beyoud Hikutaia, along the base of the hills, leaving the natives in possession of the whole of the flat lands. We have very serious doubts whether Ohinemuri is worth having on these terms. Suppose the hills opened for gold mining, while the flats are native property, it opens a door for innumerable evils in the, way of buying laud,, wd

laying out townships, in the same fashion as we suffered so much from here. Then if these hills are prospected at a great cost of capital and labour, and it is fouud that there is no payable gold, the flat lands will still be in the hands of the natives, who will hold on to it as they have held on for years past, and this district will not be one whit the better for the opening of Ohinemuri. The natives will still remain as a blockading force between us and the interior, and bad will have become worse. Suppose, on the other hand, that the Ohinemuri hills turn out a success, and that good goldworkings are found, we shall have to buy the flats, for township purposes, at an enormous rate, The natives will have the benefit of all the money spent in prospecting. They will not be afraid to open their mouths, but will tell us to cover the ground with sovereigns. Then, again, it is proposed to open the bills, not on the basis that we have bought them, which is a fact, but on an agreement that the natives are to have all the miners'rights, as on this field. As if we have not had enough of that arrangement! Theu if the hills are to be opened on the agreement that the natives get the miners' rights, what is to be done about the £26,000 which has been paid by the Government to the natives?

Mr Mackay came down yesterday afternoon, aud proceeded to Auckland in the 'Buona Ventura' at midnight. It is reported that he goes to consult (Sir Donald McLean and. Dr Pollen on the subject, His instructions are to buy the country, and it is stated that he cannot, enter into an agreement. What the Premier and Native Minister may think of the matter we do not know. "We heard some time ago that Mr Vogel said that unless Ohinemuri could be got free from the blighting arrangements that were made here, it should be let alone. Probably Sir Donald McLean and Dr Pollen will be of the same opinion, and we are disposed to agree so far a3 to say, let us have none of these arrangements which have been so great a curse to this field and district. But why should not the Government make a just.and equitable arraogement, and hold all parties to it. Te Moananui and Te Hira are now defied. They have done their worst, and have resisted to the uttermost any kind of arrangement. Why should; we go: and make, one manifestly unjust to' ourselves 1 '