Manning assured me most positively that, long I went to Taranaki, five Waikato Chiefs, two of whom were Assessors and one of them was Kukutai met some Ngapuhi Chiefs in Auckland and asked their adhesion to a plan for recovering the Sovereignty of the Island and driving the European Govt. away -- Manning promises to make the chiefs to whom this proposal was made send it to me in writing -- !! Cawan hints or rather says distinctly that there was some plan of this sort and that it was agreed on at the meeting at Waiuku. Takrei says in adopting his present course he is only following Mr. Maunsel's advice given at a public meeting.