Napier Decr. 26th, 1870 My dear McLean - Tomorrow morning I start for the Station where I am taking Mrs.Ormond and the children for the hollidays - I shall only remain two or three days and then return here going back for them when their visit is over - The change will do me good. Whilst I am away I shall keep up daily communication with Waipukerau Telegraph station so that if anything goes wrong I shall hear of it at once. I received yours of the 17th and have heard since from you as to the state of things at Waikato. It is pretty much as I expected I by no means accepted the version that came to Fox by way of the Wanganui river - No doubt the aspect of matters is not nice and is generally hostile. For instance there is little doubt Todds murder was done with assent of the King party - the sending Aporo for Te Kooti - the desire to stop the roads - All show they are inclined to show their teeth if they knew how - they are beginning to realize that we are rapidly pressing them into a corner and that unless they stop us they are done. Still I think they feel their own weakness and will not force matters to extremities in a bad cause - I therefore incline to think that when you get to Auckland you may be able to smooth over this difficulty and at the same time hold your own or perhaps gain a point on the enemy-Beyond all doubt our policy is to prevent outbreak just now if possible, but we must not concede anything and I do not believe it is necessary we should - Respecting the murderers you will not get them given up - they will retire to some safe spot and be speedily forgotten - Regarding their attempt to bring Te Kooti to Waikato - it has not succeeded when he does get there he will give you trouble that I have always believed as you know. About the stoppage of the roads I think you can take a firm stand and say at once that natives making Roads through their own lands, as in the case of the Taupo Rotorua road, will not be allowed to be interfered with. My opinion is that much firmness is essential and will produce good results - to give way would seriously weaken our hold upon the friendly natives. I have worked very cautiously at the starting the Rotorua road and hope the natives engaged on it especially the Ngatiramu and Ngatiraukawa hapus will stick to their work, if they do I am satisfied they are very unlikely to be interfered with and when once we get that road through, the other line to Cambridge will follow as a matter of course. The news you give me in your Telegram of tonight that Ngatimaniapoto is seceding from the Waikato alliance is the best thing that could happen for us - I am pleased you have agreed to what I proposed about the occupation of Rua Tahuna - if the work is well done it absolutely frees the East Coast from menace. As soon as the post at Rua Tahuna is formed a road connecting it with Taupo must be made and on this I hope to see the Urewera employed. As to Te Kooti I am not very sanguine of any success in getting him - I was much struck with the evident dread the Urewera have for him and feel sure that unaided he would have nothing to fear from them. I was also struck with something Rogan told me - When at Poverty Bay he had Ropata with him occasionally and got him to talk and Ropata told Rogan when in drink that Te Kooti would never be caught - we need'nt expect that, and that instead of that we should make a Bishop of Te Kooti and he wd. be a great man with us yet. Rogan was much struck with this language from Ropata and told me of it - I give it you as I got it - in the event of any trouble with Waikato it wd. be very important to make sure of Topia and Upper Wanganui getting them away from Waikato makes a great difference in the strength they could bring against us - as well as that it secures all the south of this Island of which Upper Wanganui is the key on the West side - I hope Hare Tauteka is going back to Tokano that is a very important position and I want some one there who is reliable and can influence the others there is a large body of natives collecting there and they want leading - Heu Heu is a miserable fellow and there is no good leading man in Hare's absence - I see what you say about Pollen in your letter- my notion is that Pollen is very useful as an official, as to his administrative ability I know nothing about it and it is not an easy thing to find men fit to be trusted in management of native matters. Look where you will even among the best men in other respects, you find a want of common sense in respect to native matters which is not easily understood - I was very much amused with the Telegram of Vogels which you enclosed in your last letter - all I have to advise you is dont trust much to what he calls Branigans men - if you do and we have difficulties there will be a mess as sure as we are here -My opinion of that Force is as follows - officers and men hate Branigan - The men have little confidence in their officers and the officers none at all in their men - Both men and officers wd. like to see a mess to get rid of their Commissioner and the sort of sentiment they have that they are degraded - You may not hear this kind of thing from other people - but I hear a good deal of what takes place in Camp and I give you what I know to be the feeling of the Force - If I am right you can judge how much they are to be depended upon - I would not go out with them against an equal native force for any consideration - Branigan is a very good Policeman but he is now in a position he is quite unfit for and one of these days you will find it out to your cost. About Election matters when the dissolution takes place you had better send up a short address in case you do not come this way going north - If you should come this way whilst I am up-country of course I wd. meet you here - As I have already told you neither of us will be opposed, the enemy has tried the pulse of the public but found no response - Last night I am told there was great fun at the Club - Wilson H.Russell and Whitmore were all together on old Tollemache who fought them on native question - I am told it was splendid fun - I see what you say about old Lambert. I know all about him but I pity the poor old fellow and he could do no harm as Militia adjutant and Commandant in our Southern district - He is sorry enough for his folly when he made himself so objectionable to you - I think it is a mistake Gisborne coming into our House I dont think he will shine there and Sewell will certainly not lead the Legislative Council as Gisborne has - Please remember me to Fox whose illness I am sorry to hear of. I think Manawatu purchase is approaching some determination Karaitiana has sent off for the Rangitane - I have promised him a large bonus that was the stake I fancy he was playing for - I must now close and wishing you happy Xmas and new year Believe me always Yours very truly J. D. Ormond