Confidential Turanganui Dec. 16 /68 My dear McLean, I hoped before this to have been on my way home, but Kootis activity and tenacity of life have made it nearly impossible to adopt even for a time a defensive attitude. the Ngatiporou left in very good humor but very tired. They promise a party of fresh men without delay and Hamlyn has gone in the ''Ahuriri'' with them to keep them lively I have promised them a piece of land on which to settle as in the case of Ohiwa and the Arawa. A similar promise has been made to Henari Tomoanas men and I am trying to get together the remnant of the defence force. All this of course involves the land question to which I will refer presently. We have now no strange natives in the district except H. Potae's men in the redoubt. I am getting the place made more defensible that we may be safe in case Kooti tries to double on Whitmore. All the constabulary are now at Patutahi or at work extending the dray road beyond. This may be effected for a distance of nearly twenty miles leaving about fifteen to pack; for I may mention that Ngatapa is not above a mile from Karetu. There are 300 constabulary available including a part very raw. H.Potaes men furnish an escort to the drays and may perhaps some of them do the same for the packing. the scheme is to get forward a good store of food sufficient for the whole operation before taking position, and then to sit down in front and rear. In the opinion of Hotene, Ihaka Whanga and others the people in the pa will be easily invested as two thirds of the boundaries of the pa are inaccessible cliff, and the practicable approaches by two spurs in front (very gentle) and one in rear (with a low cliff on it) are very narrow and easily covered by our guns. The enemy are universally believed by our natives to be short both of food and powder, and the former as likely as they left a lot of potatoes taken from the Arai in their retreat the day before yesterday. It is very desirable that there should be more men and if Tanners troop would come again either to act as escort, as cavalry to cut off foraging parties that may slip out or to keep a redoubt near the front they would be of the utmost use. I have read Whitmores letter to Tanner in which I agree. I would not press the men but should be delighted if they agreed to come. About the land question. I am sorry you write as you do. The time is one of emergency and the thing has to be done. Three small settlements of fighting men on the Southern side of the plain would make it almost impossible for anyone to come marauding in that quarter, and we should effectually and economically protect the place by removing the main object for raids, the hope of plunder. Wyllie has been to see me on the land question and promises to help me to satisfy the friendlies. You know if he is at all reasonable I shall meet him. But at all events the land must be had or the place will have to be evacuated before long. You must face the alternative. I do not agree with you about the feelings of the natives. A few held out when I last saw them, instigated by the respectable men who call my attempts to secure the only practicable defence for the Bay ''''. Upon my word these press ours ought to be shot! I came as little as any one personally for their lying tales, and can trust my character to my neighbors and friends keeping; but the persevering party howl that is kept up terribly interferes with the public service. I think in that sense that you should speak a word to the Editor of the Herald who has a good name and hint to him that Hawthorne's (I think that is the mans name) tales and views are not confirmed and shared by the people here. Pray send me up any map you have of the Bay I fear the best one extant was burned in poor Biggs house. I was saying that the ''Feelings'' of the natives about the land are not as you anticipate. The view is that of Tareha who is ambitious of mana in the matter, and of Raharui and one or two ancient friendly obstructors but was treated by the bulk of those who were at every meeting I have had as a pretext in which they did not sympathise. The principal outriders H.Potae, Ropata Hotene, Ihaka Whanga attach no weight to the supposed feeling that it is premature to open the question. At all events it must be settled and I count on your help, and on your reconciling Tareha. Tell me please how I can act so as to compliment him on the matter. I remain, dear McLean, Faithfully yours, J. C. RICHMOND P. S. Some ''hereheres'' of Kootis were taken including a wife and child of his. I have sent them to Waiapu not without some resistance from H. Potae and the tangatawhenua but I have reconciled them to the course.