THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 1877.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2620, 1 June 1877, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 1877.

The New Zealand Herald of yesterday's date says:—"A correspondent at the Thames telegraphs that there is a ' split' between Mr Mackay and the Government, and that some othei* agent will be em-, ployed to complete the Government land purchases in the Thames district. We are sorry, for several reasons, to receive the information. We had hoped that at the eleventh hour all parties concerned would have turned over a new leaf, and that these troublesome negotiations— which have been so delayed that the conclusion is inevitable that great blame attaches both to Government and to agent —would have been quickly concluded at last by Mr Mackay. It is very difficult indeed to get at the causes of the delay, or to see how far delay has any justification. " We shall probably not be made aware of the causes of the ' split' until the meeting of Parliament, when we imagine that there will be an inquiry into the causes which have so long postponed the completion of these land purchases." In reference to this matter we have been informed, and are requested to state, that there has been no split between Mr Mackay and the Government, nor any difference of opinion whatever. That Mr Mackay's absence from the sitting of the Native Lands Court in Shortland is accounted for by the fact 'chat he has no business at such Court, it having been arranged at the previous sitting of the Court that the cases in which he is interested for the Government should be adjourned to Ohinemuri. This, we are assured, is perfectly understood by the Ohinemuri Natives, and is the only reason .the latter, as well as Mr Mackay, have not attended the Court in Sbortland. We may mention that two days ago we were informed that there had been a " split," as reported by the Herald's correspondent, and the name of a gentleman was mentioned as Mr Mackay's successor in the land purchase department of this district. It is therefore the more satisfactory to receive an assurance that no rupture has occurred between Mr Mackay and the Government, nor anything that i 3 calculated to impair the former's influsnee wiih the Natives in completing the purchases he has begun. Mr Mackay is to be in attendance at the Court at Ohinemuri as soon as it opens, and we are informed that he has everything in a fair way for completing the business in. hand. We trust such will be found to be the case.