Napier, January, 1870. My dear McLean, The Wellington gives this opportunity of writing to you. Yesterday I received despatches from McDonnell written on the 25th after his first brush with the enemy the taking Kooti's horses was a great point as now it seems impossible for him to make his way to the Urewera country at least if he does it is a great discredit to us. We are looking most anxiously for the next news and may hear by the Phoebe due here today -- From your last letters I conclude Frazer is on the scene before this with his force -- also that the Arawa are guarding the passes by Rotorua. How about the road to Te Kuiti is that barred against Te Kooti it appears to me of immense importance that it should be -- Another point which strikes me as very important is to form a post under the present excuse somewhere between Cambridge and Tapuaehararu. It could be done I believe now without creating any difficulty and would effectually dispose of the question of opening the road from North to South. It would need to be a good strong post but supplies would easily be got there from Cambridge and it would break the back of disaffection. If I saw this done I should feel that there was a chance of having the Telegraph through and of having a main road through the country -- depend upon it is is of immense importance and you can squeeze enough men together out of the Constabulary to do it and it would be more important ten thousand times than occupying Maketu or Matata. I hope you will be able to manage it -- I enclose your copy of a Telegram I received last night from Locke from which you will see that I am not idle in doing my share of opening the communication between here and Auckland which I consider of very great importance. Of course a mail service will have to be arranged from here to Tapuaehararu but whether by Constabulary or by Natives I am not quite sure the latter would do the work best. I have written you a long official about the Posts and force for Taupo and until the Urewera are not to be provided against a smaller force will not do. I also wrote you by last mail about the Constabulary. I am very apprehensive that you are on the wrong course with the last, at any rate the force is rapidly going and the tone and spirit is dreadful. I thought a good deal of Roberts at first but I cant get or keep him out of Town and his accounts are the excuse. He is full of etiquette nonsense also and made me quite angry the other day by complaining that if his men were liable to be interfered with he could not be responsible -- this referred to my authorizing McDonnell to take every man that could be spared from Tapuaehararu with him to Patetere after Te Kooti. I told Roberts he was talking nonsense and I was much disappointed at the want of zeal for the service which such trifling exhibited -- Really I dont know where to look for a good man to command -- you must have a man at Taupo who knows something of Natives and who can be trusted altho' the Telegraph will save the last. I keep at you about lines on the Cambridge side and I see I have some queries by the Wellington from Fox upon the question. I will see what Hitiri and the Ngatituwharetoa say to it if they agree it could be pushed on from Tapuaehararu to Waimahana and from there you would have to arrange -- let me know what you think of it -- as I before wrote you it would be a grand card to meet the Assembly with -- but if it is to be done you must lose no time in having the poles cut. I could get plenty of timber to do the part between Waimahana and Taupo Lake, and Locke shall discuss the question with Ngatituwharetou at their approaching meeting -- It is idle to surmise what may be happening at Patetere there appears a want of concert in the arrangements that makes me very anxious. Where was Frazer that he was not ready to act with McDonnell -- also the Orawa I dont make out where they were by the last advices. I am still hoping for the best and but shall be very anxious until I hear. The main objects next to taking Kooti should be preventing his return to the Urewera on the one side and the King on the other. The last is in my opinion more to be dreaded than the first. In case he gets to the Urewera he should be followed without a moments loss of time and Ropata and the Ngatiporou are the men to do the work -- I trust however all may go well and that our forces which are quite strong enough may give a complete account of him in the Patetere or Tauranga district. The Phoebe is due here today and may bring us later tidings. I see Fox has sent a very sharp reprimand to Pollen for his action in the Firth business and I quite think some means should be taken to stop unauthorized people from taking such action as Firth has now imprudently done on two occasions. I will see what can be done through Hamlin in regard to Ngatarawa Plains grantees -- there is not nearly so much dealing in Native lands going on as there was -- the Act of last session has met most of the difficulties. Karaitiana has not completed the sale of the Kuramu Block. All the other grantees have signed but he hangs back. We are having dreadfully hot weather here but the country looks splendid. My wife and children are at Wallingford and I had fully hoped to have got away for a couple of weeks to have joined them but of course cannot leave until some end is brought to present operations -- if I hear of Kooti being caught I shall go off at once for 2 weeks in the country. Hoping you are keeping well under your work and that the end we are both working for may be attained. Always, Yours very sincerely, J.D. Ormond. Those vicious wretches Wilson -- Russell and Whitmore are all in Town and doing their utmost to make little of what has been done -- they are the most vindictive sweeps in the country. Have you noticed an article in the Press about Hawkes Bay and its members -- You will find it and an article by Whitmore in the Hawkes Bay Times of 23 or 24 Jan. I replied to the Times in yesterdays Herald and will reply to the Press. I enclose you the Herald of 28th. J.D.O.