The Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3174, 19 September 1867, Page 3

The Daily Southern Cross.

LTTOEO, NON TOO. It I for* bt «n •xtingaiihtcl, jr«t thai* rin A thooMut^ bMooßi from th» ipuk I bora.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19.

The news which we publish to-day from the Thames is suggestive. We by no means regard it as discouraging, although to those who have taken a sanguine view of the new goldfield, it will undoubtedly be a sore disappointment. Substantially, our correspondent's letters agree with information in our possession from other sources. The temper of the natives is exactly, what it is represented to be j and therefore^ for the present, there is no 1 chance of opening the phinemuri block to gold-diggers. To attempt, in the face of these statements, to force the natives to open this land would be wrong, and might be attended by disastrous consequences. The golden opportunity- for opening the 'Upper Thames having' been lost, it will not be prudent to begin.' " teasing*' ..them now to make amends for official tardiriess some four months ago. Our advice 1 is, to let the Thames goldfield work out the problem without scheming or contriving, or in any other, way interfering with the natives. And we doubt not, if our advice be followed, that there will be a satisfactory solution much sooner than many anticipate. The Kaiiaeranga diggings is the key 1 wherewith ''fo "unlock, ,the Upper Thames,, and throw its, auriferous, ground open to European enterprise/ The

native population, who still adhere to old Maori custom, and stand aloof from civilisation^iu the Thames, wsll see from day to day, the very superior manner in which the natives at Kauaeranga live }*— they will see them living in comfort, deriving large inoomes from the miners' lights and rents for building sites, and they cannot fail to contrast their own penury and isolation with the affluence of 1 their neighbours, They will likewise see that land remains with the native owners, the Europeans taking all the risks, and paying handsomely in' advance for the privilege of digging and trading on native land. If the exhibition of these facts daily and hourly before their eyes does not induce Te Hira and, the more recalcitrant of his followers to throw open their land to gold prospectors, nothing else will. It will be in vain for Superintendents, or Commissioners, or touters,— or all of them together*— to accomplish ' that which such marke.d contrast in living has failed in doing. But,' of course, a great deal depends upon the conduct of the Europeans themselves. Their conduct is being closely watched ; and when the men on the diggings are aware that they may make or mar the enterprise in the Thames, we cannot believe that they would do anything which could cause the natives to suspect or detest them. It would be well even for them not to go up to the extreme southern boundary of the open block at present, owing to the temper cf some of Te Hiras natives. As for the expeditions to Ohinemuri, reported ,by an esteemed correspondent, we cannot too strongly reprobate them. These expeditions can do no good,because itwould be impossible to prospect the district without the natives knowing and resenting it. If the natives throw open their land, well and good ; — if not, we must just be content to see it closed. The gold will not run away ; and in good time, should the Upper Thames be as rich as it is reputed to be, its auriferous wealth will be brought to light. But, as we have said, nothing must be done by force, or which would in the least excite suspicion amongst the natives. Should the tract of country south of Te Aroha be opened by the Ngatihauas, as we intimated on Monday last was in contemplation, then Te Hira and Ms people will be between two European settlements, and they will soon find it to their account to accept the terms which have been satisfactory to their relatives and neighbours. In conclusion, we may add that Captain Huttonis very favourably impressed with the auriferous character of the country now opened, for at least a distance of twenty miles.