The Tauranga natives are nearly done with their planting and are continually at me for work. The same with some of the Arawa hapus. The cutting down system with regard to past liabilities is causing no end of dissatisfaction, and what is very much to be regretted your local officers have to hear the illnatured remarks and behaviour of the dissatisfied. Mr. Gill tells me that at Torere Wiremu Kingi behaved in a most outrageous manner saying that they were being cheated by Mair. I believe that some well known Opotiki pakeha is at the bottom of it. I am told that Locke is in very bad favour at Taupo from the same cause. He is called a liar and is otherwise most unjustly spoken of - and to tell you the truth I am afraid that this screwing will cost us in the long run more than double the money we have saved. I have had many matters brought before me in the shape of engagements made