Camp Tuparoa 3 May 1866 Dear Mr. McLean I got here all right on the 24th. of last month when I found that Fraser was in few hours to start on an expedition to Opoiti and then probably across country to Turanga I could not withstand the temptation so got a fresh horse and accompanied him but on the following Thursday I was obliged to return it being more than I could stand I fear I have undone a great deal of the good the two months leave did. There are two hundred fresh prisoners come in Nama and Simeon are the two principle men te Waru does not seem inclined to give himself up as soon as all the raru raru is over about the prisoners Roper is going up after him. There are 50 guns a greenstone and a kaitaka mat for you also 5/- taken from one of the Hau Hau Fraser started last Monday from the Reinga for Turanga it is I think a capital thing and he may meet with a few stragglers I wish I could have gone. I enclose you a plan for the East Coast. I don't know how you will like the giving crown titles to the Maoris but my chief object in proposing what I have is to get the land out of the clutches of the Native lands Court for I am convinced it will never work as it is at present. In putting down the number of assessors Wairoa is purposely omitted because an R.M. and staff has already been appointed/. The Wairoa R.M. will of course take in all the confiscated land within his district. The Turanga R.M. 's district will extend from the Wairoa's R.M. 's up to Cape Runaway. I do not think that much difficulty will be found in getting the arms back from the friendly Maoris if they are made clearly to understand that they are to be kept in the district and to be given out again if there is any necessity for it. I have left the run land to be dealt with at some future time for the country will have so changed in 14 years that I do not think we should now be justified in fixing what is to be done with land so many years hence. As regards the stationing-a certain number of the new force at Wairoa Turanga and Waiapu I would have 40 at each of the former places and 20 at Waiapu. I much fear that unless great firmness is shown at first we shall have a great deal of trouble with the friendly Maoris particularly at Wairoa and Turanga. Believe me Yours sincerely Reginald Newton Biggs.