Page image
English
Te Teko June 12 1870 My Dear Sir I received your telegram also your letter I have always been careful not to promise the natives anything on my own responsibility but know that the Arawa who were in Taupo were promised 4/- per diem. Gapt. St. George and the Ngatiwhakaana portion of them have been paid two months pay at that rate six months ago they have always been led to expect that they were to get full pay- I have got all my papers ready to pay the Arawa Mr Gill is now at Tauranga settling with Mair I will make all possible haste paying them up when I get the money - I have not yet got all the charges against the Taupo natives from Capt. Bowen so cannot complete their papers yet. The Patuheuheu surrendered to me the other day Rangiaho is among them, there is a Chatham Island man who was afraid to come in he is at aepatiti I intended going out with a small party to get him in but the weather has been so bad and we have also been Short of rations that I have been unable to do so - Gol. Moule has written to say that he is sending rations down - I have not been properly supplied with feed since I have been here and it has been a great drawback on my work - I shall be unable to go out this week even if the feed comes as the rivers are all up - Hapurona has seen Mr. Clarke and will be here in a few days I or Mair will then take a party up to Fort Galatea to await there for their return from the Uriwera I am inclined to think te Uriwera will give in if it is put to them that this is their only chance of coming in they will see that the people who have already come in are well treated and will be inclined to give in - I think that Hapurona's influence will go far towards making them give in, if they do give in I think that Mair and I with a few more men might easily smash up Te Kooti - the effect of following up te Kooti till he is either caught or killed will I think deter any other person from making himself prominent in the rebellion - If I get any Chatham Island men what am I to do with them? I have taken the arms from the men who came in but do not know whether they are to be returned or not - I had a letter from Wepiha yesterday no one has come by Whakatane with answer to the letter the women took - Believe me to remain Yours truly George Preece