Auckland 17 July, 63. My dear Sir, I send you copies of Notices issued to the Chief of Waikato by His Excellency the Governor, and I think you will be pleased with them. Well - the long expected has come at last, and we are now fairly face to face with the Native Difficulty. The difficulty you successfully shelved for so many years, and for which you were so treated. You will read in the local papers that the Natives opened the ball by murdering and mutilating two settlers, Father and son, the one aged, the other quite a youth. This morning an escort was fired upon between Pokeno and Drury, 5 soldiers were killed and several wounded. An engagement also took place at Koheroa, near Maramarua, when the rebels were repulsed with loss - 20 dead bodies were counted, and it is supposed that many more shared the same fate. Our loss was 1 killed. Thus the matter stands. How far the war will extend or when it will be over, is hard to say. These are lively times and no mistake. We shall have a hot summer without doubt, and the sooner the whole affair is placed in General Cameron's hands the better for the Colony. In haste, Faithfully yours, H. Halse. P.S. Rogan has just been over to Kaipara - all right there so long as we are successful. He sends aroha to you. My brother has left the Govt. service and is practising in the old ground. H.H.