21/5/73 My Dear McLean, Very many thanks for your telegrams which give me the information I expected having the most implicit faith in your knowledge discretion and thoughtfulness for the settlers. I know well how people spread reports and I really believe nothing that I hear but I thought it well to let you know what was current and disturbing the minds of the settlers. Except it may be some of the outside people no one feels any fear except the fear of farming operations being put a stop to by the men being called out. This season there is an immense breadth of land being clained and broken up for spring sowing - more than has been the case in any 2 or 3 years since Waikato has been settled - people have purchased their grass seed at a very high price 12/6 per bush. and if the farming operations are prevented going on it will be absolute ruin to the District. If white men are wanted would it not be better to get them from the Thames where I am told there are hundreds ready and willing to volunteers for service (garrison or field) and men much more fit for service than our Militia which for members and quality ranks as low as is possible for human beings to arrive at. The Volunteer movement here has taken leaving actual crawlers for the Militia - creatures who may ditch and plough but whose presence among anything like troop would demoralize the lot. What few decent beings there were a week ago in the Militia list have not joined the Volunteers. I think all your arrangements are excellent and preparation for the worst is of course absolutely necessary whatever the ultimate issue may be. I am in great hopes that you will be content with preparations and defence of boundary and that the House and not the Ministry may bear the burden of casting the die. In that case the ministry cannot be pitched into or a way movement on your part made a party cry by the opposition and it is now so close on the time of the house meeting that I cannot hut think you will let it meet before proceeding to emergencies. If the murderers be not given up I can see nothing for it but to go in at them with such force as you think best and with your intimate knowledge of the Country and the Natives there can be no doubt that of all people you are the best judge of the mode of proceeding. You know how deeply interested I am in your ministry and this is my reason for so strongly hoping you will put the onus on the House and believe me My dear McLean, very sincerely yours, P. Leslie. I fear you will have difficulty in reading my scrawl I got my fingers jammed in a door yesterday.