Wellington 24.1.70 My Dear McLean I wrote on Saturday Evg. expecting to be busy today with the Squadron, but tho' it was telegraphed off Kaikoras yesterday morning, it has not been reported here at 11 a.m. today and people think it has either gone to Auckland or to Nelson. It will I expect turn up presently. Your boy arrived per Wild Duck. Mrs. Hart knows of the Mail and no doubt will write about him. Since Saturdays note I have heard from Buller. My suspicion as to the King having interfered proves correct. A letter has been received from him by Wi Hapi telling them in substance that ''as they referred the matter to the Court, they must abide by its decision.'' Wi Hapi has invited the Ngatiapas to a meeting early in Feby. that they may read the letter in public; and they have accepted -- the first time they have met publicly for a long time. Wi Hapi says if any body after this gives any further trouble, he will leave him ''to Meritanas fate''. The ruffian who destroyed the last Trig: Station three weeks ago, boasted of it, now swears he didn't do it; and three other Trigs in conspicuous places are left all right. There may still be a little difficulty at Orowa but it will be chiefly or solely about shape or boundaries and principally with friendly and selling natives such as Tapa Te Whata. If necessary I will go up again myself, but I dont think it will be. Buller will attend the meeting and report. Mete King is here; he has behaved very well ever since Pakakoe went to Otakou which had a very marked effect on our friend. I have rewarded him by giving him up two boys, who were left behind by Tauroa. Gisborne and I have sent Pollen a very stiff letter disapproving his countenancing Firth, and agreeing to arrest any advance from the Waikato side. This was a dreadful blow to both Ormond and me who had been straining every nerve to drive Te Kooti into a corner for months past, and just when it seemed achieved to see a person like Firth allowed to put his oar in and probably defeat all our plans! We know from Pollens tele: that you were at Tauranga -- Surely he could have referred Firth to you, who were almost as near him as he was. I send you a Copy of letter to Pollen, which please shew Vogel, if with you. The Govr. wishes me to come up in the middle of Feb. If Gisbornes electioneering movements do not oblige him to come I shall endeavour to do so. You ought to spend at least month down here, and up at Wanganui and West Coast, but it would not be of much use till Topia and Co. return. One most unfortunate matter, which you only can do, will be to settle with the Wanganui contingent about pay. There must be some 6 months due to Kemp -- and Topia's will run on to two -- At the same time there seems to be no definite understanding as to the rate -- in Topias case not a word was said about it - but of course it will come up. That long letter signed with his name about it, you of course know turned out to bewritten with his authority. It will have to be the subject of a compromize and will no doubt require a considerable amount of talk. If they take or kill Kooti, we may be as liberal as we like. I shall put on record as soon as the holidays (!) are over, all I have done on the West Coast for the information of Ministers and send you copy as early as possible. Everything there is really going on very satisfactorily: the Manawatu surveys and the stoppage of Road at Warea being the only two hitches and those both I hope in the fair way of being got over, I have a note from Kelly who is in good spirits about his Mill and an application from Chilman, Hursthouse and others for another Flax site at Opunake. Yours very faithfully William Fox.