Napier. November 8th. 1870. My dear McLean, Ropata is here; and goes on in the "Luna" to see you. He seems very much depressed, and I hear, has lost a good deal of influence with his people,-mainly through advocating the lump sum payment system. He has nothing very new about Te Kooti; who is believed to be at Te Wera; which is only three days' march from Poverty Bay. It seems Ngatiporou are living in constant dread of a visit from Te Kooti; and that his presence in the back country is keeping the whole East Coast, near the East Cape, in a state of uncertainty. I think Ropata, with a party of - say 100 men - guided by some of Te Kooti's runangas, would have every prospect of catching him. If done, it should be arranged as secretly as possible; and so far as I can judge, the Expedition should start in from Poverty Bay, not from the other side of East Cape. If you go from Whakatane, or anywhere near there, the Whakatohea will undoubtedly inform Te Kooti; and then the chance of surprise is gone. I hope you will settle to have one more try to catch the scoundrel; and am sure the sooner it is done the better. Report from all sides says he is on the move somewhere. I hope it is not too late.