Auckland 19th Septr. 1863 My dear Sir, I have been away on an expedition to the Wairoa, Taupo, Thames, and so on just after receiving your last letter enclosing your a/c which I had just received in time to send on before I left and which has been forwarded to you for explanation send it back to me with your name at the bottom of the certificate and it shall be attended to if I am here. I am greatly in your debt for the offer you have made to me which under the circumstances of my situation as regards my sister and her people I think I must hang on here as long as I possibly can, although to consult my own inclination I should go down to Napier for the sake of being near you. I tried all over the town for a cloak but there is no such thing as would suit Hapuku. Nothing but Inverness capes, plain, about £3.10 or more which you can get at Napier. I have had several people looking out but have not met with anything like the article required and to get it made in Auckland would not be easy now, Tailors, shoemakers and all are now soldiers. You will see by the above that I am a long time finishing a letter. Your absence at Otago stopped me writing. You have never sent me back your a/c. I had some idea you would have been up and in the H. of R. by this time and I thought you would be N.M. My disappointment at this is great very great indeed. I see that conceited little C.C. from Napier is in the Assembly. It is fortunate you are at Napier to keep matters there in order or it is impossible to say what military ideas would bring you to - You see the solution of the Waikato difficulty is not yet overcome and I am afraid we shall have to wait a while longer before it is - Baker, C.O.Davis and one or two more have got the sack. I am under orders for Kaipara but cannot go until it is seen what the House will do regarding the Native Lands Bill. We buried John Hobbs the other day. Walters is here an Honble. Member of the Legislative - Searancke is coming from Whangarei to look after money of his wife's lent to S.O.Gibbes dont he wish he may get it. Sir O. has been sold out of everything. Does he owe you anything? You see the natives have been committing several murders lately about Drury notwithstanding the force of Military and Militia we have. Where is this to end. Friend is out of the office, clerk to the H. or R. and he seems glad of it. There is no getting anything out of him now - The Waitara papers are printed which I know you are anxious to see but I cannot obtain a copy. I hope you will be up before the session is over. I have no news as usual. I am your's ever J. Rogan The natives are said to be very strong 4 or 500 - The long expected attack on Meremere has not come off yet.