Wellington 3rd Nov. 1865 My dear McLean I am much obliged for your and Ormond's letters - Pray tell the latter I shall at all times wish to hear his opinion on the , and ask him to excuse my not replying to his last. I am literally so overwhelmed with work that I have neither time to eat or sleep! Affairs on the East Coast are improving and our Colonial and Native forces deserve well - By the way don't officially use the term "native allies"! We have just this session declared by law that the natives are in all respects Her M's subjects and "allies" is a term only applicable to the subjects of a foreign power - which the natives are not - so much for the noble native! I have had great pleasure in promoting to the rank of Captain Mr. Biggs - who by the way has no regular commission hithertoo - and will have his name placed on the Commission of the Peace - But don't hold out to him any present prospect of his being appointed R. M. The fact is we have no money for R.M. s or any one else, and can't get any unless our Debentures will sell at home which hithertoo has not been the case so for God's sake cut down the expenses in your parts - Under one head or another Colonial Defence is (exclusive of Native Purposes) costing at the rate of £446,000 a year! It appears the best thing to do to put down Hauhauism in Poverty Bay while our forces are flushed with success, and the rebels correspondingly disappointed. You will on the spot judge what is best to be done when you and the troops get there. The "Esk" has been asked to convey you there, and to remain for two or three days off Poverty Bay for the purpose of cooperating with the land forces if necessary - One thing the Govt. is absolutely determined to do - viz - to punish all future outbreaks by taking sufficient lands to pay for the cost of putting them down, and for establishing Military settlements to maintain the Queen's authority - We mean taking the oath of allegiance too to mean something substantial, and all who take and break it, and all prisoners, in future will either be executed transported or set to hard labor - I am thinking of commencing some large useful work (as a dry dock etc.) that will take years to execute, and setting the prisoners as they come in to work at it. Nothing would have a more excellent deterrent effect on the badly disposed natives generally than the knowledge that those who misbehaved would whenever caught be set to work at a work which would take a long time and many men to finish! In gt. haste I am, Dear McLean Faithfully yrs. E.W. Stafford