Wellington June 13, 1863 My dear McLean I have for. your letter to the natives, which I hope may induce them to postpone "Summary proceedings" which appear to be the order of the day with them - I am off to the Wairarapa on Monday to see them about Waimaora Smith and Reliances affairs - they have forced Smith to sign an agreement to vacate his run on the 30th of August, on pain of having his stock, goods and chattels burned on that day - As for making any arrangement with these vagabonds, I know that is hopeless and shall simply warn them against taking the law into their own hands - tho I dont suppose they will pay much heed to this, unless in the mean time Cameron gives them a few more drubbings. Smith I shant advise either one way or the other. He must act for himself - he has in a great measure brought it upon himself a Psalms singing hypochrite - that he is - I have no doubt that in his case the Natives will execute their threats - As for Vallance, I cant make out that they have a leg to stand on, unless you had promised them some further payment - of which there is no evidence in the office. If I give a way in one case, I mean if I submit to a trumped up claim, I shall soon find myself upsetting all your purchases - but I hope they will wait in this case. I am quite certain that you will have to come down to arrange some of these matters - and if I could promise that you would do so, these disputes might be staved off for some time. For Ballance to be burned off, is of course bad - and he certainly is not to blame. Gould we not arrange to meet to settle these matters, and to complete the 40 Mile Bush purchases. By the way, I rather fear that any payments to the Manawatu Natives for Lands in the 40 Mile Bush will operate agst. our completing the purchase of the Manawatu - they were desperately hard up when I visited them last - and desperately anxious that I should pay instalments on the 40 Mile B. - which I refused to do, until the Manawatu purchase was completed. I begin to think, that what are termed the "Native Institutions" i.e. Asst. Commissioners R. Ms and Maori beaks of every possible description, will soon come to be regarded as "the real Native difficulty" - they are not merely an arrant sham - but they are breeding an incalculable amount of mischief - I quite share in your apprehenson about the settlers to the North of Wanganui but then all you can do is to give them the earliest possible intelligence - leaving them to take their own course. All the Militia and policemen in the world cannot prevent isolated cases of murder and outrage, if the Natives are so disposed. And the Government is imbecile which by its measures creates a panic - In such a crisis as the present, do what you will the Government will be blamed if anything untoward occurs, and will never get the slightest credit, even if it be successful in preserving peace. I confess I take rather a hopeful view of affairs - the Maoris are clearly in the wrong, and they know it. Many I trust will think more than twice before they join in the fray - the Kingites are divided into the Moderates, and Ultras - the former will gain adherents in every success that Cameron achieves - and help him - and his experiment. Couldn't you give him a word of advice - he has asked for leave of absence to go and visit Miss Neville. Yours ever faithfully I. E. Featherston I dont anticipate any serious reverse - the Settlers are for once thoroughly agreed that this must be the final war - and that no peace must be thought of, until the Maoris are completely reduced to subjection - and made unable to take our lands. We shall soon have an overpowering force in the Colony, and I cannot bring myself to believe that Grey, in spite of all the rumours floatingabout him, will hesitate to use it for knocking the King Movement on the head. Gan you make out what the "new facts" relating to the Waitara are? I cant make head or tail of them. We all knew, and especially Col. Gold that W. King and his people were living on the South side of of the Waitara - and yet C. Elliott tells me on the authority of Domett - that this is the only new fact that has come to light, and induced him to sign the Proclamation giving up the Waitara - Say what you will, McLean, you will never convince me that you believed in the validity of the purchase from Teira - You simply from a spirit of chivalry backed up Browne, after he had gone too far to receed. What are you doing about the Militia. We still adhere to our determination not to call them out here, tho report says that Domett is swearing at us, and the General is wrath. The Militia ought to have been trained in times of peace - Kelham sold the 360 or 370 Wethers for 13/9 each. The fleeces, judging from my own will be at least 1/4 - If I am obliged to go on to Ballances, I may possibly go on to Akitio after I return, I shall probably be off to Wanganui Paihi the only native concerned in the Waitotera purchase who hung out for a larger sum has given in, provided I agree to a slight alteratin of the Boundary line of the slice I shall cut off from one of the reserves - but will it be prudent to pay the money at present. Aropetus death has had they tell me a salutary effect upon Queen Wikitoru - I am not without hopes that the dispute about the rents of the squatters between the Ngatiapas and Ngatiraukawas will end in their agreeing to sell the Rangitikei portion of the Manawatu. Old Strang is going on worse than ever - he has taken up with a Miss St Clair - a notorious character.