Auckland 15th Feb/58 My dear Sir, The last batch of despatches from New Plymouth, comveyed to us, the intelligence of Ihaia's complete overthrow, the destruction of te Ikamoana Pa, after desertion by Ihaia and his people who bolted to the Waitara on the night of Saturday the 6th inst. On Sunday morning the besiegers were much chagrined by finding that the birds had flow. On passing the Mahoetahi pa between Mangoraka and Waiongona, Mahau, had a narrow escape for his life by some of the bloodhounds who wanted to murder him on the spot. He showed the white feather by turning round and offering to join against his friend Ihain who was by this time quietly ensconsed in a pa on the banks of the Waitara, he was however soon hunted out of this fortification which was immediately burnt, he crossed the river to another pa from which he was also ousted, and Nikorima's pa at Turangi has been set fire to destroying powder etc. Ihaia destroying some wheat of Wire mu Kingi's in return. Poor Ihaia is now driven to the bush and will have either to leave the country or be starved out; I am sorry for this as I had great hopes a good stand up fight would have brought all of them to their bearings when they would see that the only way to settle the quarrels would be to dispose of the original cause of them namely their land. How it will turn out now for New Plymouth remains to be seen. I can well imagine your astonishment when you receive a copy of the Proclamation prohibiting armed natives from assembly within the boundaries of our territory. We cannot prevent in my opinion supposing the natives disobey the law - but I do not apprehend the slightest chance of our coing to blows with the natives there as they have not evinced the slightest disposition to molest any of the settlers and Ihaia is said to have done his utmost to withdraw his people from off Hoby's land when attacked by the opposite party. A shot entered a man's house and soon bullets were found on Hollis' land which was certainly not very desirable so the Proclamation was perhaps in a measure of this more than anything else. The fiddler is still here and looks upon himself as A. 1 whether he is or not I know and care little, why is Fenton allowed to be hanging about Town doing nothing when others are looked sharp after. I saw Mr. Graham yesterday he made many enquiries about you, poor men was looking very sorrowful. The whole of the Ngatiwhatua tribe are now at the head of Kaipara on their way here for the purpose of settling for te Waranganui and Matakohu for which we offered to £2000. Karina told me last night they would take the money. I was at an Amateur performance last night at the Theatre which was patronized by H. E. and Col. Wynyard and all the grandees of Auckland. The audience in the latter part of the evening became very noisy and rude which I suppose caused the Elite to retreat before the play was over. Smith, who is constantly grinding away at the confounded laws, comes to the office occasionally and is urging me to supply you with the news, which I shall reserve for the next time as I have exhausted my present stock. A mail has just come in from Ahuriri and not a letter from you. I suppose you are busily occupied counting your lambs and bales of wool. I have this moment received your letter of 10th instant wherenn you say that you have written to me yesterday per overland mail although there is not much in your letter, yet it is a remarkable thing that you say my stay in Auckland is good policy under the circumstances and I am writing to you by the return opportunity of this favourable result of that measure which has already brought the gentleman to book. Between you and I Norris is a rascal and if I ever am so fortunate as to get my duds out of his hands, I shall consider myself lucky, I am now sending off £150 to Johnson he bought a block of land, Mata's for £600 instead of £700 over which he chuckled much, but he is fast closing up his district and deserves all praise for that, Old Munu has plagued me very much about that block of land which you know all about old Ti has not shared the money and I cannot recommend the thing should be passed over to the Province as there are several protests against Tirirau's conduct and if anything went wrong afterwards it would be only serving me aright in acting against my own convictions and now I must conclude by saying that your blowing up has little effect upon me as I have written to you more than you care to acknowledge. Friend is hard at work again and the rowing has done him a great deal of good there is plenty of work in him and he is clear headed when he likes to make use of it. Hay is not worth much in my opinion in reality his infernal temper is said to be beyond anything in the bush. Yours sincerely J. Rogan 16 Feb/58