Gisborne 29th. March 1873. Dear Sir, The enclosed extracts have appeared in two lae editions of the paper here. Without wishing to trouble you at all unnecessarily I feel in duty bound to prevent a wrong impression being conveyed. What is stated in the matter and what is actually the case is so very opposite. With reference to the coast road. I know that the whole success of the work is attributeable to the unfailing efforts of Major Rop who has throughout set his face against the numerous Maori quibbles and complaints to Govt. against the roads and the Surveyors. Mr. Winter could not have overcome the difficulty without the assistance of Ropata. Several numerously signed petitions and complaints were made to remove Mr. Winter accusing him Maori like of all sorts of delinquincies (of course unjustly) all of which were suppressed by Ropata consequently if he has erred it is in a direction contrary to that of which he is accused. After publication of the article I saw Mr. Winter who regretted the matter acknowledging the obligation he was under to Ropata. Relative to the second complaint. When Mr. Simpson came through from Opotiki, in company with Major Pitt he visited me. I then told him the natives were not predisposed to road work in this district, but that if he would arrange to have a runanga of Mahaki after my return with Wi Pere from going over Patutahi boundaries I would then assist him to get labour. He then agreed to proposal but did not adhere to arrangement impetuously calling a runanga during absence of myself and Wi Pere. Ropata happened to be at the meeting and a sum of money was offerred to Natives which on calculating they found preposterously disproportioned. Ropata with a view to a compromise suggested the work should be measured and paid for same as coast road viz. per yard or chain. Mr. Simpson with an imperfect knowledge of Maori misunderstood some jesting remarks of Ropatas and lost his temper in consequence. When I next saw Ropata I explained wherein he had done wrong by appearing at all in the matter. He afterwards apologised to Mr. Simpson. Mr. Webb the editor of standard admits to me the imperfect nature of notes forming the data for the articles and stated if he had previously heard the other side of the story he would not have published but was coerced into the affair by Mr. Simpson who is of a hasty disposition. It is far from my intention sir to palliate the faults of Ropata but knowing his secret disposition as I do, I know him to be strictly honourable and unswerving in his loyalty often very unjustly accused simply because he is Major Ropata. Yours most faithfully, T.W. Porter, Adjt.