no land - no protection - pleasant truisms to digest after a bad dinner resulting in an aggravated might-mare and a prodigious headache on the following morning - seriously it is a grave subject for bona fide settlers to dwell upon - spero meliora - but I question whether I shall see them in this settlement. A party of Taranaki natives headed by friend Paora Kukutai and Hori Ngatairakaunui arrived this afternoon and marched to the Kawau, where they remain for the night, that is to say, if accommodation can be found for 400 men, armed with 20 guns rather impoverished for want of attention - if the dusky gentlemen generally could not boast of better war instruments and a brush took place between the races it would soon be a case of sauve-qui-peut with them - they are here, to inquire into a case of puremu or moepuku between Parata junior and one of their tribe,