The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1874.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1497, 27 November 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1874.

For the cause that lacks assistance. For the wroug ii:ut needs rusistnace. For the fatiire in the distance. i.'ii tU« rood thtt we ran do

We yesterday published a letter which came into our hands, and which bad been intended to incite the Maories to prevent the opening of Ohinemuri, and generally to thwart the agents of the Government in the purchase of native lands. Just as we expecbed, this has fallen like a bombshell among the landsharks, and there is a species of dismay to-day. We are now in a position to give further particulars, but we shall refrain until we see what action the Government is likely to take. It is painful after our people have been tantalised for years by the prospect of the opening of Ohinemuri that now just at the moment when everything seemed ready for the completion of the work, an organised system . like this should step inland incite the natives ' not to sell. If Heaven would bias t the landsharks with lightning, this land of ours would be a happy one. The system has heretofore been the cause of all our troubles, and now it will possibly be the means of closing Ohinemuri, after all the skilful and careful negociations in which Mr Mackay has been engaged. The interpreter through whose faithfulness to the public interest we' were enabled to let light into this dark business has been threatened by the agents of the lantUharks that he will be crushed, and we know not what other direful penalties are to be imposed. But ifc is satisfactory to know that he has been assured by Civil-Commissioner Kemp that had he been instrumental in the transmission of that ill-intentioned and we might almost say '' seditious " letter his license would have been cancelled. It will be seen\;whether the Government, under the pressure of the land sharks, will have the bravery to search thi s intrigue to the bottom, or, as we have already said, will they hush it up for the sake of those involved. We are glad to see that our contemporary the " Cross " has this morning given, in the form of a letter, the following paragraph with an official aroma about it, and which is more pointed than anything on which we have ventured in connection with this matter. It remains to be seen whether the " Cross " will have to hush up or will it speak out bravely : —"lf in order to gratify ancient animosity against the Native Minister, attempts to baffle Mr. Mackay, and prevent the unlocking of Ohinemuri are being made, the sooner the true case is generally known the better. There must be no suppression of the facts, nor shall there be elsewhere if there is such suppression here. When a PakehaMaori official counsels influential natives to oppose the Government at Ohinemuri, it is high time the underhanded little game should be exposed."