Auckland July 14th 1871 My dear Mr McLean I arrived here early yesterday morning after a smooth passage of forty hours "Star of the South" reached this last evening and I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 10th Inst. You do not say whether you have received mine by overland mail. McKenzie the Telegraph Contractor has certainly given us a great deal of trouble and has been a source of extra expence to The work at the native office here is kept close up and it appears to me that Kemp and Brown can keep it going - But for my own sake I shall be glad when you can send Vicars - Brown is a very good fellow but so much of his time is taken up in running about to the Courts that you are never safe - If a press of work comes on it has to go to the wall - Bush is with me at present - he is most invaluable, he is never happy unless he has plenty to do - I shall require all his help while the court (I mean Commissioners Court on Tauranga lands) is in session. Then if you approve I should like to send him into Patetere country with Hans Tapsell - for a trip - and on to Ngatihaua at Maungatautari - But more of this by Telegram. Hopkins has all his work cut out for him in attending to judicial matters - and the ordinary and incidental work which arises in all districts where there is a mixed population of Maoris and English - He is slow, but on the whole I am pleased with the good judgment he shows and his anxiety to do his best. He did not come from a school where things are done with expedition. You will confer a special obligation on me if you will have an eye to Marsden. I feel quite sure you will like him when you know him - he has a good amount of sound sense in his head, and will help the public service all he can - He has not had an office training and from what he writes to me feels his short comings but if you will encourage him I pledge my word that he will make a first rate native officer - I think I have complied to the letter to your request for a good long epistle this time - The Telegraph is a great blessing but you cannot communicate as fully as you can by letter - I will write from Tauranga - but dont let me bore you. Very faithfully yours, Hy. T. Clarke. the Government, by first getting Government Agents to use their influence to expedite the work and then left them to pay his bills - But in the case of the extension from Katikati I hoped that by throwing the whole of the responsibilit on his shoulders and his getting the assistance of Mackay that very little would be required of Government Assistance. However you know best, and if you think we ought to have as little to do with McKenzie in our native district as possible e pai ana - About telegraph works I do not think Mr. Floid the gentleman superintending the erection to KatiKati is much of a judge of timber - there are several poles lying on the wharf at Tauranga of as good totara - the centre of the heart - which he has condemned (I understand) I suppose because it is knotty, and some what shaken. Very many thanks for your encouragement in regard to Public works - Whether I am getting bad tempered or what I cannot say - but I confess I feel sometimes very much perplexed. I know I am rather impatient of things hang fire at all - Of one thing the Government may rest quite satisfied I will not lend myself to any project that does not carry justice on its very face - the natives know that and have confidence that I will urge only what is right - I am very glad to say that Hamlin is taking more interest in Public Works - altho I have said nothing about it I felt rather dissatisfied at one time, but he has greatly improved in that respect - I have written a reply to the letter from Public works department which conceeded something that I asked for - It is written to you as head of my department and perhaps I have expressed myself a little warmly - but when I wrote it was exactly as I felt - and in truth as I feel now - I have but one object, to urge on public works and to see the Country in a position of security. No one can accuse me of any selfish ends either directly or indirectly I have no interests - I hear on all sides that the gentlemen of House of Reprs. are going to make a dead set on the Native Department - They are holding meetings and scraping together all the information they can collect which they consider will tell. There is a good deal of underhand work going on in the Bay of Plenty, and an endeavour to create an anti-native department league - I do not fear all that they can say - The Govert. will know whether my services are turned to the best account in the Bay of Plenty, and whether it would be expedient to move me altogether from the District - I am quite willing to go - Should it be so decided - J.A. Wilson - S. S. Mackfarlane - Chadwick - Vercoe (I expect Mr. Torn Russell) are said to be the great movers in this business - All I can say is I wish the Head of the Native Department were put in such a position as to be above all political and party influences - St. John will be able to give you any amount of information and political scandal when you see him. I was sorry that I did not see Locke on his return from the Ngatiraukawa meeting I however have seen Hans Tapsell he seems very "Pouri" he says Locke was too much in a hurry to come away and did not quite finish the "korero" - Hans is of opinion that Waikato mean mischief and to use his own expression "if they had a pretext as big as the end of a finger nail" they would commence - Mair is of the same opinion - and every one I have conversed with who have any knowledge of the question says the same - It behoves us to be scrupulously careful in our dealings with the natives - and at the same time to be prepared for the worst - Hans is very anxious about the Ngatiraukawa, and begs that they may be supported - he also tells me that Locke has letters from Maihi and people on the subject - If any thing is up we must support them - and I would be an advocate for moving Preece and Mair in that direction - but with a greater force. I mention this now as it may be necessary to give this your close consideration - It may be necessary for us to have Military posts in Patetere Country - I wish that monster Te Kooti was out of the way. How secure we should be in the Bay of Plenty and Napier districts! I have desired Hans Tapsell in all his reports on native matters to submit them in writing - I think it is safest and will prevent or be a check on exaggerated statements.