The Thames 17th. May 1873 My Dear Sir, I am going to scribble a few lines to you in re a Committee for Reform of Native administration. The real aim is to oust you as Native Minister by throwing any slurr on you they can manage to pick up and bring forward their grievances to the Bar of the House. A resolution in re reform was proposed at the meeting in re Waikato murder recommending the appointment of a Committee but a Committee was not named or appointed the next morning the agitators of this finding themselves thwarted called a meeting of their friends and elected this Committee last night, so that I want you to thoroughly understand that such a committee do not represent the at the Thames nor were they chosen as such by the public, if those are our best men I can only say we are very badly off but I know that we have better men than these who have all to gain and nothing to lose. I may say that none of them represent me nor as an individual would I allow them if in my power to prevent it, I respect public opinion as well as any man but there is no fear of respecting this Committee as being the voice of the people. I hope therefore the Assembly will not listen to them except as private individuals and take their views for what they are worth. They elected Dr. Kilgour as their president. Now, he is a man who has no right to sit on the bench as he does he was appointed a Coroner and J.P. but as I have always understood a Coroner could not hear cases in R.M. Court in fact is not a J.P. except by virtue of his office as Coroner - besides which his antecedents are by no means when in he held the Commission of the peace which the Government cancelled on account of very disgraceful proceedings which appeared in the police Court against him, he was protected by his brother magistrates but the voice of the people prevailed and he had to cut Geelong now he comes and "palms" himself upon a N.Z. community do you think I would allow such a man to represent me - No!!! I would rather work as a common miner. This same Kilgour is always running down the Govt. vainly fancying he will be put in some high position. I may say he has no "locus standi" except among a few - therefore you will know how to manage him. I cannot understand such men imposing upon the British public and making themselves appear as our representatives to those in other parts at the seat of Government in fact you judge us by those who represent us that is the majority, in this instance the minority have pushed themselves too forward, they must therefore be brought to their proper bearings. I wrote you a letter a few mails ago did you receive? What a magnificent present to MacKay!!! "It is better to be born lucky than rich." I am going to pass my degree at the New Zealand University I have already entered my name. Could you be of any service to me? I should wish to get some appointment where I could have the advantage of attending lectures, say Otago (Dunedin) but I cannot afford to forego my annual salary. I suppose the Govt. have no objection to pushing a man forward for instance they gave Buller great advantages to enable him to publish his Book. Could you not get me pushed on in a similar manner to enable me the better to attain my desire. The salary I am at present receiving is very small of course my library will cost me something considerable. Does not Govt. offer any I am the only one at the Thames that aspires so high. The mail is just closing. In haste, I am yours very sincerely, Edw. Hy. Power, N.B. Any other information you want write to me privately I shall be most happy to supply it.