In the week following, if press reports can be trusted, both sides were ‘standing to their arms’.¹³

Te Hira was not present on 5 October, but he sent representatives. This did not indicate personal animosity, but was consistent with his policy of permitting European deputations to come up the river to Ohinemuri, but not meeting them himself. He is said to have had cordial respect for Mackay as an adversary, and in 1870 Mackay was to represent him in the Native Land Court.¹⁴

Many Thames miners did not share Te Hira’s respect for Mackay; he was not regarded as their friend. Late in October, the second of two deputations of miners visited Ropata Te Arakai’s kainga at Puketea-waitapu and sought a private arrangement with him, but he rejected it, saying, ‘The Government advised me not to open that land until Te Hira and his party agreed to open theirs, which, I think can be arranged before long. I am desirous of avoiding bloodshed between the Kingites and the Queenites.’¹⁵ Te Hira’s representatives said that he ‘would not oppose the opening of the land to the miners if the Maoris, on being called together gave their consent’.¹⁶ The commitment at this stage of all parties, including the Government, to consensual decision-making was important.

Governor Bowen visited upper Thames in January 1868, but Te Hira did not meet him. Superintendant Williamson came to Ohinemuri in November 1868 at the invitation of Ropata. Mackay resented the interference, writing that ‘His Honor the Superintendant had considered it his duty to visit Ohinemuri also, and use his influence in the matter; and I must say that his proceedings there in no way assisted my efforts to arrange this very difficult question.’¹⁷ Te Hira wrote a friendly letter to the superintendant after the latter’s visit, but Mackay was correct that Williamson achieved little towards the opening of Ohinemuri.

About 200 Maori were estimated to have attended the meeting with Williamson at Ohinemuri on 12 November 1868, and around 500 were reported to have attended a further meeting on 18 November, including ‘Hauhaus’ from Piako and all the principal chiefs except Te Hira and Tukukino.¹⁸ If the estimates are correct, the second meeting would have involved a majority of the adults of Hauraki. At the first meeting, Maori divided themselves into pro- and anti-mining camps, and a message arrived from the King to Ropata, saying not to part with the land. However, Hori Pokai, one of the proponents of mining, was quoted as saying, ‘do not let strange tribes be dragged in to have authority over my land … My property is my own; it will be for me to speak of’.¹⁹

13. New Zealand Herald, 14 October 1868 (doc o6, p 148)

14. Document o6, p 287

15. New Zealand Herald, 5 November 1868 (doc o6, p 153)

16. Ibid, 27 October 1868 (pp 151–152)

17. Mackay, ‘Report by Mr Commissioner Mackay’, p 9

18. New Zealand Herald, 19, 24 November 1868 (doc o6, pp 153–155)

19. Ibid, 19 November 1868 (p 154)