Woburn July 28th 1864 My dear McLean, As I find the Queen sails for Napier tomorrow, I scribble off a few lines to let you know how I am getting on. I have got the Wainuioru business settled after no end of a lot of trouble. I told them they had fairly sold the land and signed the deeds and were not entitled to a farthing, but that as you had promised them £500, and £200 on a/c of the 5 per cents, the Govt. would not go back from its word, and I was prepared to give them the £700 but no more, and that they must understand that this offer was final and would not be repeated - if they accepted it, well and good, their insolent speeches would be forgotten and all would be well - if not they would never get the £500, and if they turned off Smith, the 5 per cents would be withheld, no other pakeha would be allowed to go there, and the punishment due to their offence would sooner or later fall upon them. I put all this in writing to prevent mistakes. However to make a long story short, they gradually came down from their £2500 to £800, I still firmly sticking to my £700. At last the meeting broke up and Mr. Hoera stumped off saying Heoi ano, ka rere the pakeha i au apopo, and I quietly remarked - So for £100 Wairarapa is to be steeped in blood and you are to lose all your lands, stock and rents. Be it so it is your own choice. I noticed that Ngairo had been very quiet, and seemed as if he was trying to repress the ruffianism of Hoera and Co. so I got him aside with Manihera, Dan, and Hgatuere and we agreed that Dan and I should come in and ask Featherston for the £100, which he at once granted and I am taking the £800 out tomorrow. So ends that troublesome affair, much to the relief of Featherston, who seems greatly pleased at the result. There are two or three other matters at Wainuioru, at Vallance's and a few others that have yet to be arranged, but I look upon these as minor affairs. The 5 per cents is a very sore point and one on which I have been assailed by every Maori I have met. Dan especially is in a great fog about his and he has been charged with sums that he does not remember nor admit receiving. He is writing to you about them. Swainson has been makingup the a/cs and I don't think what he has done has tended to clear up matters much. Old Wereta claims a promise of yours to give him a piece of land in the block that I have just been settling at Wainuioru. Hoera also says he has a written promise of a piece also. I have told them both that they must apply to the Govr. as I have no power to give back the Queen's land, nor Featherston either. They also want a general reserve out of the Block, but I have given them the same answer about that. All manner of claims have been trumped up to imaginary balances, but I have generally been able to find deeds which, added to my own memory, enabled me to shut up the claimants. I shall have to go to Castle Point about the Wakataki business, wh. is getting pressing. I wish you would kindly write to me as fully as you can on that subject, so that I may if possible get it finally settled this journey. Stewart and another surveyor are on the spot now. I think you said something about the Genl. Govt. having agreed to give them back the reserve. No news in Wellington. No English mail, no Seat of Govt. Commissioners. The Judge will give you any gossip there may be. Woburn is a Hospital - everybody floored with influenza. Yours very sincerely G. S. Cooper I enclose a letter from Nopera.