Napier October 20, 1870 My dear McLean, I only posted a long letter to you this morning but since then I have yours by the Rangatira and must reply to-night as I have no end to do at the office tomorrow -I had a long letter from Fox by the mail and have just written him telling him abt. my road plans - He is entirely with me about the Forty Mile bush road and is working away on his side - I received your Telegram to-night authorising what I asked for for Taupo road and now I will go to work at that - If you will also give me power to use the Constabulary so that I can get something out of them I guarantee you have some results - Locke and Bold are on their way to Tapuaehararu and from what I can learn from Hamlin and Poihipi there will be no difficulty in arranging for the Rotorua road and that in my opinion will be a great point gained - Once get Ngatiraukawa properly started and. the next thing will be a request from them to make the road by Patetere to Cambridge. All the other works you have lately authorised I have in hand and hope soon to get them started - In respect to Te Kooti I quite agree with you that he is beyond all doubt at Te Wera - as to the employment of Preece and Mair's men I still think they could do the work, but if I were thinking of employing them I shd. first ascertain whether they were eager for it - If they were I have no doubt they would do the business - If not then you have Ropata to fall back upon - but my belief is that any move for the Coast will be known to Whakatohea and made known by them to Te Kooti. The only hope of getting Te Kooti is by surprising him and if Preece and Mair have the elan for it they would do it well. If the expedition were a dangerous one then I shd, consider the Arawa fitness for such work, but they know Te Kooti is a fugitive and they are as good blood-hounds as any others -As to leaving the road open for escape any party advancing on him from Galatea side wd. effectually cut off his retreat to Waikato or Patetere. That is as effectually as it can be - If he wanted really to go he wd. not have the slightest trouble in getting any day or rather night he liked - that tells you what I think about the chances of an expedition after Te Kooti - I also think you should strike as quickly as possible - As to the West Coast and the Manawatu which no doubt is the most troublesome case there - if I had to deal with it I should try if I could not make use of the enemy - Fox wrote me on the same subject and not hopefully - If I had to do it I shd. use, or see whether or not I could use Hadfield's friends - S.Williams has lots of times expressed his belief the question could easily be settled I shd. try and enquire first what means he wd. take to settle it and if reasonable shd. let him try - You will settle it of course if you get the necessary time to devote to it - but I dont very well see how you are to - I have told Fox my idea about Williams - I cd. get him if desirable - About the Taranaki people and making terms with Titokawaru, my advice is, have nothing to do with such a proposal - they are a miserable lot these Taranaki's - What earthly good wd. any such action achieve - Beyond giving Titokawaru a position I see none. On the other hand I see lasting discredit to any Ministry that took such a course - Your own feeling in the matter as stated in yours to which I am replying is beyond doubt right. Leave him I say as he is - I note Bell expects great credit for what Commissioners have done and I agree they have done a good deal. You have yet to learn how Vogel's scheme is received at home. It may be laughed at - quite as likely as not. I hope not - but it is quite on the cards -About the East Coast election there are no votes registered at Poverty Bay - so that Tauranga will carry the election - I doubt if Randall Johnston will go down there but will write him and see what he says - Moorson -Clarke's brother or any one else you could depend on wd. do - and the less an man he was the better - If R. Johnston could be returned he wd. be a capital man -out and out the best - About the Orakei-korako wire dispute it is a good job it is settled - at the same time it was virtually settled by Locke when he telegraphed us at Wellington - But that Mr.Warbrick came and upset all he had done and then came the difficulty - That man Warbrick is missing - his horse was found without saddle and bridle both of which were found in separate places -Hamlin tells me it is supposed he had a fit - that means I conclude that he was in the horrors at the time - About the survey of the 70 mile bush Line and starting Works there - From what the natives say I do not think we need apprehend any difficulty - Karaitiana today again told me - The Bush is sold Rangitane will return directly to complete the sale - Karaitiana urged me to go on with survey - Road or anything else. Think over what I wrote about buying the Wairarapa end of Bush without putting it through N.L. Court. Our natives here get more and more dissatisfied with the Court - The elections are all right here I am looking out. It is late and I must wind up my letter - I have no end of work to do just now and see plenty before me - I must give a week or so directly to Provincial Roads and Schools etc. all of which badly need attention - Good night. Yours always J.D. Ormond