Napier, April 26th, 1871. My dear McLean, Opportunities of writing to you have been few and far between and I have not much time today - Our new Prov. Council met on Saturday last - re-elected me Superintendent and adjourned to the 10th of May so I am busy getting ready work for the Session which in addition to my ordinary works keeps me ever busy - My last to you was by the Star after my return from Poverty Bay and you will ember I told you it was reported Kooti had turned up at Waikaremoana and that Preece and Mair with their force had proposed to make a quick march in to see if they could secure him and that I had referred this proposal to Ministers, recommending it. The Urewera having expressed their wish for the force to go in and claimed it in virtue of my arrangement with them here -which was that if T.K. turned up in their boundaries they were to give information when Govt. would send a force in to protect them and pursue Kooti. I got a reply at first from Fox approving what I proposed, and next day I received a very silly Telegram from Bell sent on by Gisborne - the wording was something like this "I absolutely object to the proposal" etc.etc. and wound up with an opinion, that it was a trap of the Urewera - I wont bother you with the correspondence but it wound up with Bell sending a message to me asking me not to be annoyed at what he had said and admitting he was not posted up in Urewera affairs - there it ends - but I was very vexed when I got it, particularly as Sewell and Gisborne endorsed what Bell said, neither one or the other having the least idea of the relations with the Urewera or what had been done with them by you - the Bay of Plenty - and me from here. I sent a very quiet but firm reply to Bell's Telegram and the answer was the decision must rest in hands. I shall not have time to write officially about it, so will tell you here what I have done - (I have since sent officially correspondence on this J.D.O.) In the first place I told Preece and Mair to keep ready to move at short notice when wanted, this they are doing and they are at Galatea. From information through Wairoa and late letters from Whenuanui and Paerau through Taupo I do not feel quite sure that T.K. is at Waikaremoana, some of his men are there, and they want to come in - three or four of them are Chatham Island Prisoners - Also Te Whiri and his people about sixteen in number (Urewera-Ngatihuri) are some-where on the Lake and are said to be also anxious to come in - I have sent to Whenuanui and Paerau that all these people come in, and especially for them to send after Te Whiri and bring him in as that wd. separate all the Urewera from T.K. I have also promised that on receiving information from them (which they have promised to give) of T. K's whereabouts that a force will at once go in to seek him - Their latest letters to me lead me to expect they will be able to give such information shortly - and they say distinctly that they will do so - but will not themselves attempt to capture him - He must be almost by himself and will I think almost certainly come out somewhere among the Urewera. In case he does I want your authority to use Preece and Mair's force, the Cabinet having decided to leave it to you. My chief reason for wishing to hunt him out of the Urewera country or catch him if possible if he comes there, is, that I believe he wd. very soon set them all wrong again. There is no doubt they have a superstitious fear of him - If I do not hear any more of T. K. I still think Preece and Mair might march in with advantage to Rua Tahuna - Hapurana brought a message from Whenuanui inviting them in and it is only carrying out the arrangement of placing the Urewera at Ruatahuna and protecting them there - so far as I can gather from the numerous letters I have from the Urewera they all wish to be quiet and profess to be Govt. people - the more we keep up communication and open their country the better - at least that is my notion - Preece's force is close at hand and in pay - the sending them in will cost nothing and do good. From what I have written you will understand the position of matters. I am sure you will agree with my telling Whenuanui to bring in Te Whiti and the others - Locke has gone to Taupo to meet Matuaha and the West Taupo Natives who have at last come in to the number of about 100. Hone Tauteka was the means of bringing them in - they are to be at Tapuaehararu today - The necessity for finding food for these meetings is a great difficulty. I give as little as I can but in a case of this kind it is impossible to help assisting. Hone Tauteka and old Poihipi have no food and of course apply for some - I keep it down as much as possible - Whilst at Taupo Locke is to go on to Niho o te kiore to meet Ngatiraukawa and have another talk with them. He will ascertain how far they are inclined to assist in pushing the Telegraph and Road through their own Country - excluding of course the disputed country beyond. Also he is to arrange the terms for a direct mail to Cambridge - I mentioned this subject to you in my last and the applications to do the service were so urgent that I got authority to incur the necessary expense and hope to have it arranged in a few days. Perenera Tamahiki is the man who wants to undertake it. He belongs to Paerata's people and will work through Maihi and Hori Ngawhare. I incline to think he will succeed with it, at any rate if it can be done the Ngatiraukawa are the people to do it. I propose to have no public notice taken of the attempt until we see how it goes. It is certainly worth trying - You seem to have plenty of trouble with the Thames Tauranga Mail, possibly this attempt to take the direct road may draw attention from that - If Ngatiraukawa are in earnest about it I feel sure it will go all right - Perenera is a clever useful fellow Since I last wrote you I have had a serious talk with Karaitiana about the Bush and I think he sees he is overdoing his part - at any rate he is going to Tamaki at once to see what he can arrange. As it really rests with him if he does try to arrange it - he can - I told him distinctly that unless the Bush was bought before we want to the Assembly - it was too late - the chances of the Railway wd. be gone. He was very much astonished when I told him we wanted the land to give it for building the Railway - I hope the beggar will come to terms. There is no local news. People are of course pleased at the idea of the big steamers coming here - which Vogel arranged - Failing the steam launch arriving herein time I will have the 'Napier' ready to tender the Nevada - I wish you wd. send specially a Telegram to Tauranga when the time of the Steamers arriving here can be accurately fixed - It is important to know - it case it shd. be at night - please try to arrange this - (Capt. Johnston has just been with me about this and will give necessary information if you will have it sent Tauranga) In the Prov.Council I think Buchanan and Colenso will amuse each other - they have already commenced a newspaper controversy over some rubbishy point or other - When will you be here do you think? I expect you the beginning of next month. We are having better weather lately and wanted it - I saw your brother Alexander today he says everything is going on right at Maraekakaho they have just sold 1000 Ewes to Dr. Grace - On the Coast I hear Featherstone's flock is scabby which is dangerous for Akitio - In our Province the foot-rot is spreading alarmingly and is almost as bad as Scab. Domett is in the Ashley he is coming up with Mrs. D. to attend burial of J. George remains which Gascoigne is bringing down from Taupo. Girton is here also. Always, Yours very truly, J. D. Ormond.