Written after McDonald's arrival. October 24th/66 Wallingford ½ past eleven My dear McLean, I have just recd. yours dated today 10 a.m. and there appears to have been some misunderstanding about the Orderlies, originating I suppose in that old block-head Withers - I thought it very strange that men shd. be sent down here and not be available to me, the only person to whom they could be of any service. I send this off again tonight to let you see what the line of orderlies can do - I shall await the news by the mail tomorrow and if nothing of importance comes from the Porangahau natives - I will send down for 2 of the mounted men at Porangahau to return at once - Mr. Hamilton will go to his own place I suppose. One man can be kept here for a few days probably Sj. Hodges and with him to go to Waipawa and one of the Policeman there to go on I cd. communicate with you in quite as short a time as at present. There is no probability so far as I can judge of the information I can gather of Ngairo's coming here at present and not at all except under the circumstances I have named in my letter, viz. a fresh arrival from the Uriwera or Waikato. That is all I need say in haste. Yours very sincerely, J.D. Ormond