OHINEMURI.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2165, 18 February 1875, Page 3

OHINEMURI.

(From the New Zealand Herald.)

One or two of our contemporaries have mado attempts to throw discredit, upon tho report of our Thames correspondent, published on Saturday, relative to tho disturbanco which took place ab Ohinomuri, and arising out of somo dispute about a section which a man named M'lloa had purchuscd from a Maori. Thit report was nevertheless a truo, if an unpalatable ono, and has nover boon denied. The faot that upon Saturday lasfc a numbor of fcho A.O. wero ordorod off to tbo camp, to somo oxfconfc corroborates the statement that all is not exactly as it could bo wished. Nor is it, at all likely that Dr Pollen would, as our Thames contemporary suggests, take any nowspapor reports "as his authority in ordering a strong armod force to Ohinemuri." Thafc thoro is no trouble of any moment to bo apprehended wo quito boliovo, but prevention boing better than ouro, it is jusfc as well fchafc a constabulary force hns been stationed on fche ground. Tho anxiety of the miners •to get to work is being daily workod up, and although it is a vory easy and no doubt, pleasant task— ono which may bo considorod akin to a duty by fchoso who assume tho office— to pat fcho minors on fcho back, and tdl thorn in effect to bo good boys and bo pationt, tho matter assumes a different asp ct to the " good boys," who have in fcho mean timo to koep themselves in tucker, and who see as much prospeob of getting fco work to-morrow is they did yeslorday. A tologram has informed us of the important fact, fchat " the Ntno Zealand Times regrets tho signs of imputienco tho telegrams show as existing amongst tho miners, and says Sir Donald .u'i.uui cannot bo in fcwo places at once ; he cannot attend to two different, negotiations at the same lime *' 5 and further, that ifc is the writer's opinion '• that fcho Thames miners suould watt patiently for tho slow but sure development of tho Nativo Minister's policy." t'ho information that Sir Dmald M'Lean cannot, bo in two places at one and tho samo Mine, will scarcely servo to satisfy tho minors tor their apparent loss of timo, even upon -uuti an authority as the Government organ vi tho umpire City 5 but tho question initurally arises : VY.hy should Sir Donald tako two niiponant negotiations in hamt at ono timo ? vVe do not for a moment pretend to question Sir Dot aid's business taofc or his earnestness to do thai, winch is bt sfc for all parties, but ifc 1 locs seem to us thafc if fcho miners had at tempted to tako tho matter in their own hands, tboy could scare ly havo beon blamed in thu arsonco of any explanation or udequa'e reason boing offered for tho delay in issuing a proclamation so long promised and so anxiously looked for. Thoro is a groat doal of unnecessary and unhealthy mystery altogothor indulged in in fcho Native Department.

From Ike 'Thames Advertiser

The news from Ohinemuri yesterday is important, and somewhat exciting. In tho first placo, defitiibo insbructions havo been received by tho surveying parties from Mr Mackay, ordering thorn to desist from all surveys and cutting of lines until Sir Donald M'Lean comes down to mako arrangements respecting tho oponing of tho goldfield. Wo havo littlo doubt, respecting the way m which bbis has boon brought about. Te Iliraand lo Moiinaiiui, aftor having consented to open bho goldflold, and postponed tho making ot the final arrangemenbs, resented tho survoys being commenced, and lines oub, as it everything hnd boon arranged. As wo havo forrwly stated, they sont to stop tho first surveying oporations, and wo havo no doubt that thoy communicated with Sir Donald

M'Lean by telegraph, complaining bitterly of surveys having boon begun beforo tho arrangements respecting the goldfields wero concluded. It appears, however, that tho minors now assembled at Ohinemuri have lost all patience, and havo determined to proceed to work without tho sanction of tbe Govornmont, under rules of their own drawing up. A meeting wns to havo been held yesterday afternoon for the purpose of drawing up a codo of rules, whicli all tho minors wore to ongago to adhere to, and they were then to proceed to peg out ground and commence to work. They cay thoy have waited till they can wait no longer. Tho miners are oertainly taking a very bold ond important step. Their proceedings aro entirely illegal, and if any of them mako manifest a rich claim, thoy will havo no legal authority to hold it. Whether those who aro at Ohinemuri now, and who will enter into tbis corapaofc, will strictly observo it, wo do nofc know, bufc wo question whethor thoso nofc at Ohinemuri, and who may go there whon the proclamation is issued, will consider themselves bound. They may say that thoy obeyed tho law, and abstained from prospecting or taking possession of ground till they could legally do so, and that they cannot recogniso any right in men who havo acted against tho law. Somo persons say thafc sucb combinations have taken placo in Australia, and havo come out all right, while others assert that miners nover could stick to each ofchsr sufficiently to mako them offectivc. Wo regret very much fchat tho miners havo considered this step necessary, bufc at tho samo timo it must be admitted that something is to bo said for tbo men. They havo waited for years, always expecting that tbo placo would be opened, and now, at tho very best of the soason, thoy find thafc thero is to be a further delay Wo may hope thafc all will go woll, and that no disturbance will ensue.