OHINEMURI.

Daily Southern Cross, 7 November 1868, Page 6

OHINEMURI.

To the Editor of the Dailt Southeek Cnoss. Sir. — In your issue of to-day, a letter appears signed 11 Tekau-ma>rua," in which refereoce is nude to " a pakrha-Maori, who is keeping or says he is keeping, a stoic, aud who came down t» the meetiug ' A« 1 am the ouly storekeeper oa the Oliinemuri, aud us I di'l "go down to the meeting," the paragraph obviously refers to me. if there was impertinence on either suie, it was on the aid* of th« "gentleman" who requested me t« leave an o,en-»ir meeting, at which 1 coruider I had a perfect right to attend, if I frit inclined. I cerLaiuly did refuae to leave until I had done what 1 went to do, which I did do before I ]eft. If your correspondent's letter had been as correct in his remarks about me as he se-ms to ba in other parts of his letter, I i would not have troubled you wi-hany notice of it, and as to the "pragmatical" part of the charge, I suppose he must have aome acquaintance with "Mrs. Patting on," or "Mrs. Alain(•rop," and not seeing the force of the remarks I won't deny he i» not right. 1 am not fond of obtruding my opinions on the public, but, while I am about it, I may as well contradict a statement to the effect that I have thrown cold water on the opening of the "biuemuri. I do most emphatically deny any such statement although it is scarcely necessary to do so, teeing I am, perhapi, ai largely interested in its being opened as anyone else. The country is geueraliy considered as a like y-'ooking place, although since I have known thedistiict, now more than three years, I can •peak of nothing being found heavier than fine rr-ef gold iv ciceks, and have seen afewiurface upecimcns. It is highly probable that the country will be rich in reef 3 and leaJers. There may be alluvial gold, but I believe it remains to be prove 1 that it exists in payable quantities I only hope it m«y turn opt half at good as some repot t it to be. I will also venture the opinion tuar, within two mmths from tbistme, Mr.Maokay will ha>e no far advanced matters that it will then be ready to be proclaimed as open to prospectors. A *h>rc delay like that, and having all hindrance* cleared, will b* far better than a hasty opening dead against the King n*tives. In the one one all d*ng'.r of an outbreaw betwetn Queen ites and Kingit es would be avo de<f, and on the other hand a very udi tcled state of things would rtsulc, which raiglit end in a disturbance. 'Ie s the case with Europeats, as well as with nat.vts, that when there is a great and urgent demaud for a thing th- difficulty in oliiaiomg tt proportionately iucrea-tes. It is specially i-o wisn Ma<>n» — thr more auxiou* you are to get » pig or a piece of land, the mo-e Lkeiy jou won tget it. So wi«h ihe opening of * hiuemuii. it ni'A be op«-r.ed *oon, on a better to "ling, and on easier terms, if it it gone quietly about.— l am, ,vc, Edward Wood. Auckland, November 7, 1 68. •

Mr. RolJcston, vrko is Sii|ieriutendent of Canterbury and oue of the members for that, province in the General Assembly, has been buffering for some time part in Wellington of gastrio fever. He had 10 far recovered as to be able to go home on the 30th by the>,». 'BftDgitoto,'