Turanganui 18th Sept., 1865 My dear Sir I am sure that all the Europeans at this district feel grateful for the kind consideration which you have shewn to our wants. I think the natives are a little disappointed at not having the arms and ammunition in their own hands but I must say that in my opinion the arrangement which you have made is the wisest. The only thing is that the fact of such things being here is in some degree a temptation to ill disposed persons and if the Hauhaus were pugnaciously disposed they wd. be influenced as much perhaps by the hope of getting possession of the arms and ammunition as by hostility to the pakeha. I am sorry to say that I feel no confidence in Hirini. It appears to me that his great wish is to keep in with both sides. He keeps very intimate with the half-Hauhaus if you understand what I mean, and he himself is said by the Hauhaus to have told them that they need not be frightened at his sending for troops for he will take care that they get no harm inasmuch as though a "Kawanatanga" he is not of the same principles as the pa across the river. A letter from Wi Pere, the halfcaste at Waerengaahika, to him was picked up a day or two ago in wh. the writer tells him that the Hauhaus are anxious that the "Kawanatanga" of this district shd. keep quiet in case the Ngatiporou shd come here to fight them, and he adds "ki te kaha hoki ratou, mou te painga, nau hoki i kawe mai te atua ki konei" by which I suppose he means that any victory gained by the Hauhaus here would redound to Hirini's credit. We hear that there has been a little talk among some of Hirini's people of making an attempt to overpower the guard and take possession of the arms and ammunition. This is said to have been talked of on Friday night and last night. I do not know the full authority for this report. The Rongowhakaata Hauhaus have been talking of coming down here to a "komiti" to propose that the military settlers be returned. If they shd really carry out this idea it might lead to something disagreeable. I think the ardour of the people here (Hauhaus) has been damped a good deal by the arrival of the Tokomaru and yawa fugitives who seem to feel that they have had a thrashing. They arrived on Wednesday last. We were very much disappointed last Saturday at seeing the St. Kilda steaming in within about 8 miles of us and then turning round and going north without even giving us a look. The weather was beautiful not a ripple on the beach. It would not have tantalized us so much if she had gone straight on from Table Cape. I suppose the business at Waiapu was urgent. I remain, Yours faithfully W. L. Williams. D. McLean Esq. Napier