Napier August 15/68 My dear McLean, I have only a few minutes to write you a line as the mail is just closing. You will have heard by telegraph the melancholy intelligence of the deaths of poor Carr and Davis Canning this brings the Native troubles home to us very closely, we mourn for them as for our own relatives the loss of Captain Carr (especially if we have a disturbance here) will be irreparable, poor young Carr is terribly cut up by the loss of his brother and so is John Canning. Poor Davis was brave and rash enough for anything and would be sure to be foremost in any fight. My chief object in writing is to ask you to be kind enough to see the Defence Minister to whom Captn. Withers sent the offer of the services of a mounted corps here which Whitmore asked me to raise during his absence about fifty have joined and I have commenced drilling them at their own request as they wish to be prepared in case we may be wanted this Spring, and all are anxious to know whether their services will be accepted by the Govt. Whitmore also wrote a letter (which has been sent to Col. Haultain) urging that such a corps should be rasied at once, may I hope to enlist your interest in the matter, and I shall feel much obliged if you would send word by Telegraph if no vessel is coming up soon to say whether our services will be accepted or not. I asked Green to telegraph to you to ask if the Defence Minister would allow Captn. Withers to detain some swords and accoutrements that were ordered to Wellington but I have not seen Green since and do not know whether he received any reply. Everything is very quiet here though many think it not improbable that further troubles may arise if the Gen. Govt. do not take some active measures shortly with the Rebels. It is very possible that their various successes may embolden them to try their luck again somewhere or other unless they get a severe check soon. In haste believe me Yours very truly, Thos. Tanner.