Kawhia Oct. 29/46 My Dr. Sir, Yours of the 14th ult. came to hand on the 24th inst. My last letter, judging from its effect, must have been a wonderful production for it has produced the settlement of an account of 15 months standing and has brought into my possession a lot of Tobacco and a couple of shirts, which I had forgotten (if I ever knew) that I had the least claim to. Of these shirts and tobacco I have no recollection but as you have sent them I take it for granted that they are all right and beg you to accept of my thanks for the same. Mr. Schnackenberg who is here has just told me that when he was down at Taranaki last year you gave him for Mr. Miller some shoes and some Powder. On arriving at Mokau he gave them to Mr. Skevington to bring here as there was no opportunity of sending them up the Mokau river. Mr. Skevington I suppose forgot them took them on to Auckland and as he died there I conclude that they were taken as a part of his baggage and disposed of accordingly. I have now no means of ascertaining as Mrs. Skevington has returned to England and all the affairs of our departed briend have been settled I mention the above because you have referred to them in your letter. Of course you are not chargeable with the neglect but if Mr. Miller should have made application to you or in any way or to any person intimated that he has not been refunded, the above history (which I have just received from Mr. Schnackenberg,'s lips) will explain to you the mystery. I will arrange the matter with Mr. Miller and make it all right. And I will also explain to him how it has happened that your good purposes towards him have not been fulfilled. Respecting the native going to Auckland and not calling for my letters I dont know now what in my hurry I may have written in my former letter. My impression is that I wrote all I did write in a jocular strain of fireside chit-chat and you have taken it as a Most certainly I never ''concluded that either your or any of the Taranaki people had sent a native to Auckland with injunctions not to take my letters with a view of disobliging me'' and therefore whatever you may have found in that wonderful production you must not conclude that it was put there with a view of disobliging you or any other of the Taranaki people whom I have a very great respect and whom I shall at all times be happy to visit when duty calls. Since the native to whom I alluded went to Auckland another has been sent who had letters for me and my brethren and he called here to leave mine. I was from home at Aotea and Mrs. W. was poorly and he and she differed about and as she felt incompetent to manage the matter with him she wished him to go to me at Aotea as that was in his road; but to this he refused and said he should throw all the '''' into the river, and Mrs. W was therefore induced to detain all the letters of that be sent by other hands consequently some letters he had for Mr. Wallis Miss Delany and also for our brethren at Auckland were detained and delayed. I believe he was sent by Mr. Bolland I have written to Mr. Cotton on the subject and requested him to pay the native whatever he thinks he ought to have and I will refund. Perhaps you will be kind enough to mention this to Mr. Bolland and if the natives have returned I should be obliged if he would pay him and charge me with the amount. He brought letters, papers, tracts, school-books etc. altogether weighing 5 3/4 lbs for me and other Weteriana. Mrs. W. desires her respects - she has given up the idea of visiting N.P. as she has been to Auckland. Hoping that in your new office you will be very happy and very useful and begging you to write me as opportunity offers. I remain Dr. Sir, Yours truly, J. Whiteley