SIR DONALD McLEAN AND THE OHINEMURI COUNTRY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4298, 30 December 1874, Page 3

SIR DONALD McLEAN AND THE OHINEMURI COUNTRY.

(From the Southern Cross, Dec. 23.) At last the first foothold ha 3 been obtained in Ohinemuri. Sir Donald McLean, with that quiet, or, as the Scotch call it, " dour " patience, which has marked him in all his dealings with the natives, has conquered them, and by one judicious speech, and a brief and quiet interview, has gained what has so long been obstinately opposed. After listening to all the long and wordy arguments—the vaguely poetical and roundabout oratory which marks the Maori speaker—the Native Minister told Te Hira that "it is not the wish of the Government that any undue pressure should be put on you to abandon the place where you live. You say you have nothing left for ynu_; .but you are mistaken. All that is "wanted is the gold in the land ; that is all. Your own people have consented to this gold being worked ; and my advice to you is that you should have some consideration for them. The hind itself will not be taken ; all that is now wanted is the right to mine upon it. You know that I have always acted as a friend to you, and I now ask you to concede the right of mining for gold and to allow Europeans to prospect. Should gold be discovered then it will be well ; should gold not be discovered, it would not harm you. I think you might make this concession to me, as from your past knowledge you must know I would not ask anything from you which would be injurious to you. In what you have said you are perfectly correct. You have been quite consistent, and you have directed your people to conduct themselves peacably. Now, I have one word to say to you. Why should you object to the taking of what is under the ground '! At this place I see pakehas and Maoris living in amity, and their children attending the same school and growing up together. Under these circumstances I think the best course would be for you to make this concession, and let the gold be worked so as to pay the debts of the people. lam well aware that the young men will not always listen to you, and that they will not be prevented from benefiting themselves by disposing of the gold. They know it is to their advantage and to yours to • agree to the views of the Government and to open up the land, and you should yield to their wishes, which are very reasonable." The speech is short, impressive, and kindly, it lias not a superfluous word, and it omits nothing that is important. It had its due effect, for on the evening of the same day on which it was delivered, at a private meeting with the strongest opponents, they admitted tha,t Sir Donald had conquered, and they agreed to throw open the land for gold-mining purposes. The affair is to be settled finally in a fortnight. That settlement once accom- • plished, we can wait for the rest, which will surely come. We congratulate the people of tho Thames, and of the province at large, on the prospect now before them.