The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1875. OHINEMURI.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1922, 2 March 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1875. OHINEMURI.

Our correspondence from Ohinemuri respecting yesterday's doings, from some, at present inexplicable cause, has not come to hand, and for ths following we are indebted to an " Extra" issued by our contemporary tins morning : — " After landing at Bapata's settlement, where he made only a short delay, he [Mr Mackay] started away for Maekay Town. It soon leaked out that he was about to survey off a prospector's reserve, and he was closely watched by a large crowd of anxious diggers, who appeared to be keenly interested in the matter. It became a matter of certainty what his object was, when, instead of stopping at Gorge township, he crossed over to Lipsey's. A large crowd followed him up. Mr Thorpe and the Natives who were to point out the place which was to be pegged off were there, as well as representatives of the three parties who claim to be discoverers. "Mr Mackay went up to the burned, spur facing the Gorge town, behind which it was known that the prospectors' reef existed. Here the location was, at Mr Mackay's request, pointed ous by Mr Thorpe. There were about thirty present altogether, everything being quiet and orderly. . "Mr Coleman, one of the claimants, made a formal protest against the claim being pegged out. . "Mr Mackay received the protest but told Mr Coleman and others that he had no power to act on it. The party then returned to town, and the prospectors { will go on the ground this morning to survey the claim off in order to have it reserved from the goldfield. The general impression here is, that the claim will be given to Mr Thorpe and the Natives. " There has been quite a rush to the ranges in the neighborhood of the prospectors' reef, but so far. everything is very quiet, although there have been rumours of a gathering of parties in the disputes which are supposed to follow upon the issue of miners' rights and the pegging out of claims." i

In connection with the granting of the prospecting reserve to the Messrs Thorpe and the Natives—Hoera te Miniha and another—?, c may stale that some days ago we were credibly informed that suck would bo done, for reasons alleged, namely that Hocra and others were the discoverers of the reef said to exist on the claim ; that If oera and Li 3 Native friend and relative were the actual owners of that identical spot of land on which the claim is said to be; and, finally, that they refused to sign the deed ceding Ohinemuri to the Government until a promise had been given to them tbat their claim would be included amongst the reserves on the goldfield. How much of truth there may be in all this we cannot say; and until we know the truth of the story we refrain from expressing: an opinion as to the wisdom or justice,of the course adopted. It has been insinuated in some quarters that prominent officials are interested in this business. We cannot say yea or nay, but we have heard so many stories regarding it that we are inclined to wish the Maorieshad notappeared in the matter, for the simple reason that then the Government would nt have been placed in the invidious position (as it appears now) of refusing prospecting claims to some but granting one to Maories under peculiar circumstances. If the pronouncement of the Government, that no prospecting claims would be granted, had been adhered to, instances of supposed injustice wonld have been met with, but in the end, we believe, more general satisfaction would have re- ! suited.