Camp Tuparoa 17th August 1866 My dear Sir, Many thanks for your two letters received per Sturt yesterday. I will send you a detailed report as you request as soon as I possibly can, it is too important a thing to hurry over. I send you herewith two maps made for me by Mr. Worgan of the East Coast Campaign I want you to keep the one you consider the best, and give the other to the Defence office in my name if you think fit, if not, please make whatever use you like of it - I hope by this time you have received my suggestions for a new force, I trust you will agree with them. The return I sent is under the mark in the number killed by about 20. I thought it best to be on the safe side - I hear the natives have offered you the right bank of the river for sale, is it true? I wish the newspapers reported better, it is no fun reading their short summaries. I have sent to Kopu, who by the by has been lately "runanga'd" about some money matters to find out where the natives are sowing or are going to sow and plant this year, as I object to their doing it, at such a distance from the settlements as to render the crops available for Mr. Aneru Matiti when he makes his threatened attack. The Uriweras have actually had the impudence to come over the lake for seed-potatoes and have taken some over, however Te Waru has stopped them doing it in future. The messenger sent about the petition, returned on Monday last, Biggs was up at Tologa Bay, and there was no news of importance, a great many of Morgan's and Robert's people had been down but had gone back when he left. I said above, that Kopu had had a runanga held on him, as far as I can ascertain, it was about some insurance money, which he had got for the Effort a vessel belonging to the Maories, which was wrecked at the Mahia some time ago, this money was alleged to belong to all and he was accused of appropriating it to his own use. There was also something about some money he had recd. from Gov. for the sale of some land at "Moeangiangi" - He stated he had got the money, that he had not appropriated it for his own use, that it was in his "puku", but whether the affair is ended or not I don't yet know. Deighton came back from Napier on Wednesday he is not well I am sorry to say - The weather now has turned quite fine, and we are enjoying ourselves after the rain - I hope you are quite well, and are not overworking yourself - I hear rumors from George's authority - that the Troops are to be kept. I suppose time will tell - We are all quite well here, all desire kind remembrance to you, and in all sincerity - believe me Ever yours faithfully James Fraser