Te Whakaki 4th January 1869 Dear Sir I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th inst. I feel very sorry that I have been any source of annoyance to you through Major Lambert. At the time your letter reached here correcting the name where the enemy was situated, no person was to be found to go on after the natives, and to carry out your wishes I offered my service, without-any charge whatever, so that I did not consider myself in any way employed by . Immediately on my return I called upon Major Lambert, and gave him all the particulars, to enable him to communicate with you in the morning by the orderly which leaves at 5 A.M. every morning. In a day or two after he told me that my information had been suitably acknowledged by you. On receipt of Major Green's letter I simply mentioned in the presence of Mr. Worgan and Major Lambert. I did say I was surprised on receipt of the letter, as I thought that Mr. McLean had received all the information that I knew of, but no further commentation - took place on my part. Major Lambert asked if he could see the letter, which I gave without hesitation as I did not consider it affected any one in the least, he asked me whether I had answered it or not I said not as I had not had time, he made many remarks upon it and told me I had nothing to do with any thing of the kind, he being the commanding officer it was through him and him alone, that such information should be supplied, and he had done so, Major Lambert remarks that I knew no other in the matter but he. I do not consider that I was bound in any way seeing that I was not paid for going, when I offered my service it was not to make anything out of it as it seems to have been put, it was to do a special service to you otherwise I would not have gone. I have been nearly laid aside with a bad cold ever since. It is very unpleasant to me to have caused you to write on this subject. I certainly would have written had I not meet with such remonstrances. Yours truly George Burton