New Plymouth Aug. 6th./49 Sir, I was glad to find from your letter of 23 July that the Police information furnished was satisfactory to you. Rundle's discharge has been the subject of animadversion, and employment has been thrown at him right and left. I made a point of seeing him on the subject of the situation you were kind enough to offer him, which he declines accepting out of consideration to his wife, who is a sickly woman with a child at her breast. I also availed myself of other opportunities of making your offer to him known and am glad to observe that it elicited satisfaction. Remark has been made that in place of Rundle such a man as Aubrey or Law should have been ousted both of them being above their duty and the latter a constant frequenter at a public house. To this as far as Aubrey is concerned I have no hesitation in bearing testimony and going still further having found him both inattentive and negligent. I have tried in vain to prevent him smoking a pipe about the centre of the Town during the day and to get him in Barracks by 10 at night when not on duty as well as to mess in Barracks, although he perfectly well understands that the orders emanate from you. A short time back I found him smoking a pipe when placed on duty at the Resident Magistrates Court. (Unfortunately the memorandum made is lost) and when appointed for duty in Town, is in the habit of steoping into some house or other, and is seen coolly smoking a pipe. For a short time all the orders mentioned are attended to by him and then again disregarded excepting the smoking at the Resident Magistrate's Court which I have never seen repeated. With respect to Law it is true that he is a frequenter of public houses and I apprehend always will be, but as his duties are mostly confined to road making I have little opportunity of testing his worth. A party of 20 natives were to commence work at the approaches to the Henui bridge this morning and the same number every day this week gratuitously. I fully expect however they will kick up a bother for 'utu' although Mr. Cooke told me they were distinctly given to undestand the contrary. It appears the party is to be changed daily and will extend from the Town to the Waitara natives, not even excluding those very tractable natives at Puketapu. Should their labour be given gratis great credit will be due to the originators. I am glad to tell you that Captain King is much better and will probably resume his duties in the course of the week. I remain Sir, Yours very sincerely, H. Halse.