Napier, February 18th, 1870. I go inland tomorrow to bring Mrs. Ormond back but shall keep up daily communication with Waipuku Telegraph and be back here in a few days. Everything will be started before I leave.J.D.O. My dear McLean, The Ashley leaves directly and I have lots to attend. Of course Fox goes on by her -- I have enjoyed very much the few days they have spent here but have not been able to make them as comfortable as I could have wished having almost no servants and Mrs. Ormond being absent at Wallingford. Your despatches of the 11th written at Tauranga reached here the evening of the 14th and both Fox and I were delighted at the vigor of your plans. I will do all I can to ensure their success and to assist them. To this end I send Locke to Poverty Bay by steamer tomorrow to assist and push on Ropata and the Ngatiporou and to keep the Poverty Bay natives in hand. Hamlin has gone to the Wairoa to raise the force you desired there and he is to go with them to Onepoto -- he started last night and I hope I have made all the arrangements possible to facilitate what has to be done -- Henare Tomoana is very anxious to go and I may send him to Mohaka to go with the Mohaka Natives by way of Putere to attack Waikeremoana from that side -- it is known they have large cultivations there -- Hamlin was to consult with the Mohaka Natives and if they who know the country consider it feasible then enare is to go with his men to make another expedition on that side. Henare wants no pay, and deserves praise for the manner in which he has come forward. I have doubts whether the Arawa will make their way through they do not like Bush work. My main reliance is on Ropata he will go through and will smash up these Urewera -- Locke may be useful to prevent drinking etc. and he is to see Ropata expedition into the mountains. I believe also that Kemp and Topa will go through with their work and I have ascertained that they will find Potatoes all along their line of march. Hamlin will make a dash if he gets a chance and altogether I hope we are near the beginning of the end. I enclose copies of the different instructions given by me to Locke -- Hamlin and others in carrying out your wishes as stated in your letter of 11th. Food and Ammunition I have sent to Mohaka and Wairoa -- and there ought to be no hitch. Fox and I cannot understand how Kooti gave them all the slip or how he got to Ohiwa in the time -- I heard last night from Roberts that Kooti was at Kaiteriria last Monday week and went to Urewera by way of the Paeroa and Mr. Grace's station. Also that Tahau with another body had separated from Kooti and gone by another road. Roberts started yesterday morning with a force of 90 men to see if he could find anything of Kooti or party down the Rangitaike -- he has orders to communicate with McDonnell and inform him that stores are being placed at Runanga -- Opepe and Tapuaehararu in case of any party being pushed for food on returning from Ruatahuna. Of course Roberts moved to try and intercept Te Kooti but we had not sufficiently early intelligence of his move to make that possible -- the instructions to communicate with McDonnell went after receipt of yours saying the expedition had started. I have not time to say any more -- most sincerely do I trust we shall succeed this time -- I shall await next news with great interest and you will hear from me overland to Alexandra or Cambridge of anything of importance -- there is a little hitch about the Mail to Cambridge raised by Kingites but it will he got over. Do stick to possession of the road through Patetere -- Locke was told by Hetiri a Ngatiraukawa and regular Hau Hau that the King party admitted our right now to use the road by Patetere that is taking the Best bank of the Waikato but that at present wd. not allow the road by the West bank which is considered king's country -- The Best road is I hear on the East bank and we have only to occupy a post or two to keep possession and end the question of road through the Island. I dwell on this as it is of much importance. Hamlin tells me he is to go to Laketu as R.L. -- Can you not find anything for Green if you could I would take some one who could do Native Interpreter and be Clerk and thus effect a considerable saving. I would try Grindell if he would promise to behave properly but he wd. have to give up private work. Green has nothing to do and Hamlin not much. The work wd. keep one man fairly employed try and arrange this it would end a good deal of talk about useless officials here which at present is quite justifiable and which I detest. And now trusting we may soon hear of the taking of Te Kooti and the smashing the Uneweras which will for the present end our troubles -- believe me always Yours very sincerely, J.D. Ormond.