New Plymouth 30th. Dec. 1854. My dear Sir, By the last Mail I sent you the best account I could obtain of the late sanguinary affray between the Ngatiruanui and Waitara Natives. On the afternoon of the day I wrote to you Mr. Skinner again visited them; and appeared to have prevailed on them to forego any further hostile proceedings, the Ngatiruanuis promising to return to their homes by the same route they had taken in coming up. On the following day however some information was brought up which raised our fears that they had changed their minds and on the next morning (Christmas) Mr. Skinner with Mr. Reimenschneider rode to their encampment and there found a great number bent on proceeding Southward by way of the coast, and as this would have been opposed by the Ngatiawas and might have led to more disastrous results every argument was brought to bear against such a determination