OPENING- OF OHINEMUBI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1893, 15 February 1870, Page 5

OPENING- OF OHINEMUBI.

PUBLIC MEETING AT GRAHAMS

TOWN. A rL-BT.ic SIEETIN-0 of the miners unemployed, and others interested in the present absorbing question of the opening of Ohinemuri to the public for mining purposes, was held 011 Saturday evening. Some misapprehension prevailed as to the precise spot at. which it was to beheld, it was originally intended to hold it at Graham's Paddock, but a bcilmnn was sent round to announce that it was to be lu-ltl at the wharf. It was finally decided to hold it opposite the Jetty Hotel. About five o'clock there were a large number assembled, and 011 the motion of Mr. Michael o'llure, .Mr. Hawkes was called to the chair.

The Chairman, on opening the meeting, said that its o'}ject was to take into consideration the best means to bo adopted under the present depressing slate of affairs, to take steps towards procuring employment for the unemployed. He said t hat a short time ago a deputation had waited 011 tin; Superintendent, who had then promised to procure employment for those who at present so much needed it.

Mr. i'VHark forward, and read the rosolution as follows :—"That his Honor the Superintendent being aware of the distress existing in this district, and having taken no steps to alleviate it, this meeting desires to express in the strongest terms its condemnation of any Government that could be so illiberal and unchristian as to allow its people to starve, without making any effort to relieve their. In moving its adoption, he said that they would all agree that it was a humiliating state of affairs when men who were able and willing to work were unable to obtain employment, and to have to apply to any Government for assistance, but there were times when men eoidd not help it. In Australia many times the people had to appeal to the Government during the the existence of depression, and Government had sometimes themselves to appeal elsewhere for assistance. Although it was said by some to be a shame to take part with the unemployed, he, on the contrary, considered it creditable where men, women, and children had to be supported, and he considered those who were at the head of the Government unworthy of their trust, if tliey were unable to find employment for those who were able and willing to work. It lias been urged that there is no monoy in the Treasury available; but to show the falsity of this, he would state that a motion had been brought into the Council to place on the Estimates the sum of £27,000 to be paid as rent to some pakelia Maoris. If they had been sincere, they would have voted this money towards the carrying on of some public works that would hare proved beneficial to the province. To show that there is no real necessity for diverting this money to the purposes for which it was asked, the Council refused to vote it, and yet this money was lying idle while the people here were starving. He said that without extreme necessity people should take no steps against a constitutional Government such as tliey considered at present existed here, for when they censured a constitutional Government they censured themselves. HoweTer, as nature is frail, lie considered that if those gentlemen at the hea.l of the Government make a mistake, it Wf.s constitutional for them to improve their position, and for this purpose they were now assembled to ask for that assistance which they require. There was this difference between the acknowledged tyrants and the petty tyrants of this country, that the avowed tyrant "would clothe and feed his serfs, and make them as happy and as contented as possible around him. How much the greater disgrace, then, are those on whom they had conferred the power to be their tyrants, who, when standing for election made promises which they never intended to fulfil, and who now almost compel you to starve after having conferred that power on them. It was for tlieni now to take what constitutional steps they could to better their position, for they had no hope of receiving assistance from those in authority. The Superintendent had promised to take some steps towards relieving the distress at prevalent here, but no steps have yet been taken to fulfil those promises. He said that if any single person were to take the necessary steps towards the accomplishment of this object he would be made to suffer for it, and he recommended that they should sink all differences, and take what steps might be deemed necessary as a body. If they did not. do so in a legitimate and constitutional manner, it would bs of no avail, as evidently those I promises tiat had been made were never intended to te kept. They must relieve themselves or continue to suffer. He then read an extract from an Auckland newspaper with reference to the opening of Ohinemun, in which the Superintendent was said to be inimical to the present opening of tlie_ district, and this, lie said, corroborated his statements.

Mr. Maddock seconded the resolution, and in doing so said that after what Mr. O'Hare had already stated, little remained for him to say ; but as a member of the deputation who had already waited on his Honor, and to whom the promise with reference to the employment was made, he would make a few romarks. They had most of them read the stoiy of the lark and its young, and he would say that as long as people depended on others for assistance they were " cooked/' As long a time as has elapsed Binee this promise was made, their representatives in the Council had taken no notice of the matter. They and the Superintendent had got elected, and considered themselves right for some three or four years, and evidently cared little what become of the miners. Ho would propose that the unemployed should form a strong body, and say to the Government, " Make use of us, and we will open up the country ; " or else go and offer their services to Te Kooti. It would be better for them to be on one side or the other. He said, let no person say that these meetings did not effect some good. They would at least have the effect of shaming the Government.

The resolution was then put to the meeting and carried unanimously. The Chairman then announced that the members of a deputation appointed at a meeting held in Ohinemuri were present, and would address the meeting. They had a petition drawn up, which he would read, and if the meeting agreed with it, they might adopt it. He said there was no doubt but they all wanted the Ohinemuri district opened, and if they could not get the whole place thrown open at present, let them haTe part of it, and perhaps before long they might have the whole. If not, they should content themselves with what they could get. Mr. O'Haee briefly explained the nature of the meeting held at Ohinemuri, and introduced Mr. Ollivier.

Mr. Ollivier, on coming forward, stated that he was one of the deputation appointed at a meeting held at Ohinemuri to bring the petition down to this place, and to get the assistance and signatures of the inhabitants. He might state that the petition, had been signed by nearly one hundred of tho miners at Ohinomuri in the course of about two hours. He said it might strike them that this petition had something to do witli the calling this meeting, but he could assure them it had not. The memorial, up to the present, was confined to the inhabitants of Ohinemuri alone, and it was brought down here without knowing that this meeting was to be held. The people in Ohinemuri meant what they said ip til's address, and meant to carry it out too. He did not mean to tell them that when Ohinemuri was opened all they would have to do would be to go up and get their piles, and he had no doubt they would meat as much difficulty there as at any other diggings. He had heard that there was alluvial gold and reef gold in the district, but he himself had not seen much of either, but it would be all the better to have it opened, as then they would know whether it would turn out a trump card or a duffer.

•He hoped the meeting would adopt the j memorial, and authorise the Chairman to sign I it; on behalf of the meeting. j Mr. OMTake said that the arrival of the I deputation at this juncture was a happy j coincidence, although it had been arranged to i hold the meeting without any knowledge that j such a memorial was in exist race. He con- ; sidered it the duty of the meeting to back it { lip. IF,- proposed lliit tlic memorial be j adopted by 111 e meeting, and that they j authorise their chairman to sign it, and i i those gentlemen who had charge of the 1 irem iri.il wi-hed for more signatures, ho ; thought they would have no difficulty in j obtaining them. i Mr. llakcockt, the other member of the | depulation from Ohinemuri, seconded this ] resolution, .nid pointed out the origin of the • proceedings. JI O suid that after the Native , Lands Court had been prorogued it j wa-> deemed advisable to jiel ition the GoI veniment to suspend the Native Lands Act, and compel the natives to deal with the GoI veniment alonu. lie had hcc:i out over the 1 valines, and ho had observed that wherever a j reef crops out (he could not say whether they j were auriferous or not) the ground was i hemmed in by survey lines. They considered ; that a petition of this kind, if acted upon, ' would have t lie etloct of checking those land- . speculators who were trying to absorb the : country through the action of the Nativo i Lands Act, and make it compulsory 011 the | natives to deal with the Government alone, j The motion was carried. j On the motion of Mr. O'Habk, seconded by : Mr. Oluviki:, a cordial vote of thanks was I passed to the Chairman, and the meeting then ! terminated. ! The memorial was signed by the Chairman j of the meeting, and a large number of other j signatures were attached in the course of a I couple of hours.—Thanhs Advertiser.