[Note at top] '(Copy)' Taranaki 9 March 1850 My friend, Ta Kerei, I have fully considered the situation of you and your friend concerning the ship. I am inclined to think that you yourselves were in error and thoughtless to simply give your possessions to visitors, to people you did not know. However, the Government is also at fault, for it did not at the start legislate to advise uninformed people about the procedures, such as you, the Maori people, that is, [provide] a law to justify your request for money for your things from Pakeha who steal your goods, and also for this act of deceit upon you. I have finished investigating the reasons for this matter, and I have thought it out. To my mind, there cannot be consideration of payment for you, because it has long lain there, and you won't get the payment for your pigs from the Pakeha who has them. They have already taken away their goods, or gone away to some other land. The Government of this land is in part at fault, that is, at fault as I have just said in relation to failing to set down laws, and, I recognise in the Queen's consent that although she says that you are to have the same conditions as for Pakeha, she would not agree that the laws in relation to theft are harmful, or that Pakeha wrong you. For these reasons I base my decision on the Queen's [law], and so give you £35, which is half of the payment for your pigs; and the money will be handed over at Ngamotu. The reason I agree to this is because no law existed before to dissuade Pakeha from stealing from you. And there should be no such case after this. Now, my friends, I have agreed, according to the Queen's [law], to this consideration for you. And so I say farewell, and call on you to continue thus with your love for the Queen, for although she is far away from you, she still has great love for you and a benevolent concern that you may become great as her people. From your good friend, '(Signed)' G. Grey Governor in Chief [Note on side] 'Copy of letter for Waitara Takerei.'