Te Niho o te Kiore Taupo May 27th 1873 Dear Sir, As you were kind enough when I was in Wellington to say that you would be glad to further my views as far as lay in your power I trust you will be good enough to excuse the liberty I am taking in writing to ask you to allow me to be transfered from this post and command to another: if possible I should like to return to Capt.Preece at Te Teko or have a separate command of natives; some time ago I telegraphed to you saying that if required I could raise a company of fifty or sixty really good natives, this I could easily do or even more if necessary and I would take none but those I had known for years and had seen on service before, men are continually coming to me asking whether I could not get leave to raise a company and I should very much like do so if you would allow me, I think I could safely promise you would never have reason to regret having doneso; as for being competent to command Natives I need only refer you to the present state of discipline of Captain Preeces force and the amount of road work they have done as I think I can fairly lay claim to the chief credit of it, of course with the aid of Capt.Preece who always supported my authority amongst the men. I should much prefer remaining with natives than going in the A. C.Force that is if there was any likelihood of their being kept on for a year or two. There is very little Native news here. The Ngatiraukaua have been waiting here since the 12th Inst. for Mr.Locke but they are now beginning to disperse to their different settlements having no food, they are willing to allow the road to Cambridge but want an enormous sum promised to them before they let it be surveyed - ten pounds a chain but there is no doubt they will come to a reasonable price by and bye. The excitement about the Waikato murder gradually subsiding amongst the Natives in case of a war Ngatiraukaua would certainly remain neutral if not come on our side. Hote the man who came here some months back and warned the men working at the bridge over the Waikato, that Purukutu was coming to burn it and kill the men working, for once in his life told the truth, as Puruku and his followers did come part of the way with the above intentions but one of his party said, that some of them might be killed as soldiers were there and that they had better go and kill and white man where there were no soldiers. I mention this as everybody laughed at me for taking the precaution of sending some men down to the bridge, which precaution it appears now stopped them also for reporting what they called nonsense at the time. Hiteri (Ngatiraukaua) will give me any important intelligence from Waikato when there is such, which I will forward on to you if you wish it direct, he is a very good man and any thing he has hitherto told me I have found out to be very correct. I remain, Yours sincerely H.P. Bluett