Turanga Nui 17 February 1869 My dear Sir, It is long since I have written to you, but military matter having ceased for a time I will take the liberty of giving you my opinion on things in general. It was very providential that the Sturt struck on a rock going out of the river, and was obliged to put back. Up to that time Whitmore had not seen a single Hau Hau, knew not where they were, but was taking his men away, calling the thing settled, and settled it would have been, to all intents and purposes, but the wrong way for us, as without doubt she enemy would have beat up our quarters at this place. You are aware a skirmish took place in my paddocks the day after poor Finlay Fergusson and three others were murdered. Doubtless many of the Hau Hau fell at Ngatapa and other places. I fear however not to the number stated, as parties who were reported to have fallen, have since given themselves up and are now at large. I think it was a grate mistake in not proclaiming Martial law here for a time, and trying all prisoners by a drum head Court Martial. There are men at large (Karepa, Tamehana Ruatapu's son for instance) who is reported to have been long in communication with te Kooti, and to have guided him to the scene of his murders. The fellow has been examined but is at large, as no one , seeing his victims are all dead. It is not likely positive proof can be produced, but that the fellow should be destroyed as you would any other rabid aminal, I feel as morally certain as that two and two make four. Again Petera is reported to be the person who burnt our houses, alledging as his reason that we ''used the Bishop's house at Wairangaahika as a fortress, from whence we fired on the Pa, but that he would take good care we should not have any cover now''. Again the raid in which Fergusson and the others fell was organised by Petera, and the Whaka Puakanga, sending them for some lead and bullets they cached near the Huru Matai, a place some quarter of a mile from where my house stood. These people and others equally implicated should surely be made to suffer for their misdeeds, instead of allowing some to go with the Ngati Porou and others to reside at te Muri Wai Pa, the people in which I take to be as great Hau Haus as any we have. My decided opinion is that some of the refugees have come in as spies from Kooti, and that he is well informed of every movement here, and that in event of another outbreak all that can will joinhim. Should Whitmore be very successful at Patea, the Ureweras may think twice ere they come here for utu, should he be beaten, we may expect an attack either shortly or about November next, when the potatoes will be fit to dig. Kooté will undoubtedly leave no stone unturned to obtain revenge in some way or other. In the interim we are paralised we cannot reinstate our homesteads, we dare not live inland, shearing through the inclemency of the weather is still unfinished, and we are obliged to keep together, and always armed. I fear after the shearing is over we shall loose nearly all our floating population, I mean the working class and the remainder of the settlers will be cooped up here, taking a look at their sheep now and then. All this is very sad and if of long continuence must eventuate in our ruin. It is to be hoped the long vexed land question here will be settled this time. There will be no end of conflicting claims, and I fear more trouble than is anticiapted. I hope I may be in error, but I fear not. The Archdn. and myself are getting in the statement of losses for consideration of the relief Committee. We are most grateful for the munificence of Napier but with the cold parsimony of Auckland. I do not believe their officials cared one straw, whether we sank or swam. Whitmore crows a good deal I hear at our giving him a dinner. The dinner was given to the Officers generally not to him personally. Of course he had the post of honour but had there not have been other officers beside himself I fancy he would have gone unfed. I had a quarrel with your quondam friend Bousfield and present toady to Whitmore, in which I took the liberty of calling that person a d - d liar. So much for politics. Ever yours Most faithfully, J.W. Harris. [note located on bottom left front page] D McLean Esq Napier