4 July 1853 This letter was written at Otaraia, a part of the Wairarapa, to Port Nicholson, to the Governor-in-Chief Sir, We have something to say concerning your letter which came to us suggesting we go there to you. However, we say that there is too short a time for us to travel there, for it was only on the 2nd of July that your letter got to us. And it found us working on our own Maori jobs here in our village, that is, Maori tasks which God approves people working on. Sir, we suggest that you allow some more days for us to travel to you. And also because some people from other settlements are not yet here due to the length [of the journey across] the land. We are grateful for your invitation to us, and there is just one To the Governor, from Te Manihera thing that we are contesting about going there. As to your new suggestions, well, the intention in one of your statements is not hidden, the suggestion about Wairarapa, and we will have one suggestion to put before you, which was initiated here, when we get to you. Sir, we are pleased to be going to see you and listen to your committee, and to hear any proposal for us from your committee. There is just one thing, however, that you delay it another day for us, until the 18th of July, when we will be able to get there. It's just to do with being busy with things that have to be done on the land. That ends what there is to say. From me, from Te Manihera To Governor Grey [Note following relates.]