Hokianga Fby. 23, 72. My Dear Sir, Marsh Brown means mischief that's certain and I do not see anything to do but as I propose. It was amusing to see his astonishment when he actually met a Kai whakawa who had the impudence to refuse to do as he ordered, and in his own den at the Kawa Kawa too. Few of the Pakehas over whom he is King up there believed I would have given the case against him although everyone knew he was in the wrong. If a rehearing was allowed it could only come to the same thing, and make matters worse, and I would be very unwilling to hear the case again unless some good argument can be given to shew its necessity, but no grounds can be shewn, for if I were to go there again the fellow would think he had got me to come back simply to reverse the judgement as a matter of course, and as I am quite sure it wd. go against him again he would be only more obstreperous, and as to getting costs out of him one might as well think of flying. I always objected to holding a Court at Te KawaKawa it is very inconvenient for the great bulk of the Ngapuhi to go there, those who live inland, and it is quite easy for the people at Waikari and KawaKawa who have lands to drop down with the tide to Waitangi. Marsh Brown wishes courts to be held there so as to be on his own dunghill with all his rapplement around him, and also because he knows that many of the Ngapuhi would not come to that place and that consequently he would have things more his own way. If you think fit to refuse the rehearing you can if you chose but the responsibility entirely on me in writing to Marsh Brown, and I will manage him in time I dare say. The fellows who have got a decision in their favour I must get to be as patient as they may in waiming for their grant - as for the Pakeha who bought the land and built the house which has caused all the trouble is done for either way, for although he bought the land from one of the right owners, as It turns out there are two others who will certainly place him to a inhuman extent or he will loose both house and land, and I don't at all pity him as he was advised by myself and many others not to lay out money on the land, or had anything to do with it till a Crown Grant had been obtained. The Ngapuhi are rather cranky just now, they are in arms in three different places about different quarrel, and today was agreed on as a fighting day between some of my neighbours but as I have not heard any guns yet I suppose there has been no battle stricken. Marsh Brown tied one of the claimants to the Tainga (a chief) neck and heels like a pig a few days before the claim came on and kept him in that pleasant condition a considerable time by way of a hint of what he might expect if he persisted in coming into court, Marsh may however meet his match for the majority of Ngapuhi are against him and think the judgement right, as he does himself no doubt, and it is just to prevent him meeting his match that I want to do, for if they got fighting it would be a horrid uproar and friends would set it down to the account of the Land Court instead of planning that old cut throat Marsh Kawhiti. I received a Choral Ticket the other day by post - "Subscription paid" is on it but I don't remember having paid the subscription - am I in debt? if so let somebody let me know. Nothing more to say Hope you are all well Yours truly, F.E. Maning. F.T. Fenton Esq. Auckland.