Auckland August 20/ 1872 My dear McLean, I have somewhere seen a notice lately that the services of a company of volunteers at Coromandel had recently been offered to you and that the question of accepting the offer was under consideration. I hope that you will take a to consider. It is a purely fenian movement and would be simply putting arms into the hands of the ruffians, who came to Shortland on the 12th July to kick up a row if they had dared. I enclose a note from Cooper on this subject. If from any cause you should be induced to listen to Charley O'Neill or John Lundon in the matter Cooper's suggestion is a good one. He has always been opposed to any Hibernian military organization. There is a great demand amongst the natives on all sides for seed potatoes, a most expensive article just now, but still indispensable in view of food supply for next year. What is to be done about it? I see that newspaper correspondents keep Te Kooti moving about on the West Coast with an army. The moving about, is, I suppose, true, or at least in my mind probable for I don't beleive that you have done with T. K. yet, but the army is an invention. Kemp has returned from Hikutaia I have not seen his report yet but he tells me that there is a complication about the McCaskell's land there. It will probably be necessary to buy both parties out in order to get a peaceful settlement. McCaskell has made a formal proposal which I have sent to you but his terms are out of reason. No signs of the mail yet Yours very truly, Daniel Pollen