Wallingford Novr. 30th./66 My dear McLean Thanks for yours of the 27th. which arrived by the mail all safe. I have been away this afternoon to Porangahau in consequence of hearing from Henare that a party of Hau Haus were to be there today. They are the Matikuna and Coast people to whom Henare wrote some time ago telling them if they liked to give up their Hau Hau faith, they could come to Porangahau and be recd, by the people there, but that if not they shld. take themselves off to Wairarapa to the place of the Hau Haus. This has resulted in the larger number of them giving up Hau Hau-ism and they are now at Tautane on their way here, about 20 or 30 of them altogether. I told Henare today that if there was any nonsense with them when they arrived to start them off at once. Henare gave me the enclosed rum letter to read - his answer to is that if he is "te atua" he directs the abandonment of the Hau Hau god who he does not believe in. There is a considerable meeting of Natives at Porangahau just now to receive these Matikuna people. Yesterday Wirikana and three men came out from old Hiriwanu (Puhaetahi) for guns powder etc. Of course they got no guns but I sent the old fellow 5 lbs. of Powder and some Caps, an he wrote they were without either - although they had some few guns and some lead. He sent me word that the reported return of Wi Hape to the West Coast is false, that neither he, nor his people have left the head of the Wairarapa - two messengers he says have gone across from Wi Hape - one to Rangitikei and one to Ngatiruanui, but that the party has not gone back - he has scouts down to Raukawa who deny that the "Poti" has gone back. This is queer if correct, for the idea appears general that they had returned. The Matikuna party report that the Wairarapa are looking anxiously for news of the arrival of Waikato at Titiokura when they at once start up to join them. I hear today from Henare that the details the Matikuna people are giving of the former projected raid from Wairarapa into this District are most complete. The Meeting at Porangahau which will include all the Coast Natives down to Castle Point intend fixing the big hill between Castle Point and Whareama as the boundary line from the Wairarapa Hau. Haus over which they are not to come, or if they do that it is a signal they come to fight. I saw no objection to this, on the contrary I told them it was a very good idea. That is all my Hau Hau news. I see Purvis Russell is back by your letter altho' his name does not appear in the list of passengers. Miss Rye is attending to us with a vengeance at last. I fear 70 young women is too large a supply for our demand at one time if she had sent 30 now and 30 in six months time, it wd. have been better. You will have to counter-order that mode of immigration. Have you taken any steps to try our £60,000 loan in the market. The time is most favourable. Discount low and the other Prov. loans being placed at fair prices. It ought to be seen to, if it has not yet been. I have several letters today from inland settlers very angry at the District Court being established without their being consulted. It seems His Lordship has been boasting that he arranged the whole thing and made you write to have his plans carried out People are very angry - they say and justly that the Bench of the District ought to have been consilted as to the requirements of the Court before it was asked for. It is not a question of the desirability or otherwise of the Court - but of the ignoring themselves they complain of. The fact is Russell is hated everywhere and his silly boast of having made you carry out has riled people. It is late and I must close. Always yours truly J.D. Ormond.