Ohinemuri.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1845, 1 December 1874, Page 2

Ohinemuri.

(fhom a coebespondent.)

PITKATEAWAIBAHI, 6 p.m., November 30, 1874

Up to mid-day the time was occupied in private talk among the different hapus. At 12 o'clock Te Moananui addressed those assembled, his object being to induce them to unite with him against Mackay and postpone any final decision. Mackay replied that he wanted a settlement at once. Te Ilira spoke very quietly. As regards the proposed price of the land he thought it was not enough. He wished that McLean should be consulted upon this subject. H© desired also to be left in peace upon his own land. Mackay replied that the average price of blocks of land purchased by him outside, to the extent of 116,677 acres, was 2s. 4d. an acre. He was prepared to give that, aud no more. He read them a letter from the native chief Taraia, dated 1868, in which he distinctly stated that he gave up the gold at Ohinemuri to Europeans. Others had since given up their land, and upon this he would take his stand, and would not give way. Te Wano, a large landowner, said '• Yes, I have also given the timber, the gold, and the laud, and I now admit having done so."

At this stage of the proceedings, owing to the arrival of the excursionists in the 6teamers Manaia and Lalla Rookh from Shoftland, the proceedings were adjourned until to-morrow.

I have just seen, the able article in Friday's issue of your Auckland namesake, referring to the underhand proceedings, which have been partially exposed, of certain persons who are trying to prevent the Government and Mr Mack ay from acquiring Ohinemuri. The public ought at once to speak its mind unmistakably in this matter. Mackay's success here is now not merely a local question, but one of very serious importance to the colony, and I tnink I am not far wrong in stating that the successful negotiation of the sale of Ohinemuri lands would go a long way towards settling for ever the great native difficulty of theisland. When such great interests as thes<* are involved, what are we to think of the authors of the diabolical proceedings above referred to ? Lynching is the only fit punishment for such! people, and I trust they will soon meet with their deserts. One gentleman stands a good chance of it should he appear here again; as, in addition to the circulation of mischievous, printed notices amongst the natives, it is currently reported that he has recently committed himself in such a way as to afford good grounds for tlie belief that he is the paid agent of an Auckland " ring," whose object is the very opposite of that which the public andtheGovernrnentdesire. To the people of the Ngatikoi tribe, I am informed, he said, a few days ago: —" You need not pyy your debts. Some of the goods you received were of bad quality, and some of the flour was moakly. You need not give land for anything except cash that you have received. Mackay may threaten you with summonses, but he can do -nothing because imprisonmi nt for debt is abolished. 3 rou can get clear. Let Mackay into the hole. He will be wrong because the Government will ask him for an equivalent for their money which he has expended." I I have every reason to believe thi3 statement to be correct, and any comment thereon would be superfluous. We all know how difficult it is to acquire native I lands, and when a European deliberately sets to work to excite the natives to repudiate their transactions with the Government land purchaser, it is time that public opinion was brought to bear upon such conduct, and that we should know tke name of his secret paymaster and supporter.