A number of Tawhiao's folks are still at Kopua, as they call me their , they evidently mean that I shall be a father and provider in earnest, for a day seldom passes that I do not hear from them of their wants. W. M. Alexandra Ap 5th 1875 My dear Sir Donald No doubt Bush has informed you of what dropped from Tawhiao while at Home Te One's place! when you consider that he had already given out that the hui this year was to be at Kuiti, he could not very well change the venue, without it being said that he was coming round too quickly, and there is reason to believe that he would have hurt the feelings of his Matuas, who are not able to travel without great difficulty, the next meeting will no doubt be at Kawhia, and it seems to me that your scheme is not far from being realized. The Kuiti meeting - so far - does not promise to come to anything, it is a very good sign that the people are fully aware that nothing can be done except by the Government and Tawhiao. I am sorry that you were annoyed about Northcrofts trip, it was a slight disappointment to me because I had hoped to have had the opening of that road, but it must be evident to you that I could not consistently - knowing Rewi's liking for him - do anything to interfere with the matter, and I think that good will come of it, Northcroft is known to be a soldier and when we consider that he passed through numbers of people who have not set eyes on a pakeha for years, and that the few who offered opposition were merely wretched Ngatihaua whose object is to prevent our coming to an understanding (because it will be awkward for them) we cannot but mark the great change brought about during the last two years! I may explain that Northcroft is very popular with the Hauhaus more especially Ngatimaniapoto for the reason that ever since he has been at Kihikihi they have found that in their dealings or disputes with Europeans he saw that they had fair play. Not long since it was reported that he was about to leave this District and when Rewi heard of it he said that if it were true he would write to you requesting that Northcroft should not be removed from Kihi Kihi! I believe that Manga suspected that at a certain point (the crossing of the stream at Kuiti) opposition would be offered, for he had stationed himself on a hill overlooking the ford and when he saw a woman take Northcrofts horse by the bridle and turn it round, he came bounding down the hill side like a panther, upon which the obstructionists absolutely ran away, and he then accompanied Northcroft past Te Kooti's kainga, speaking of the latter he said ''he is a dog of mine and will not bark unless I set him on, but if he should say anything to you, it will be simply because he will think that you have some run with you'' he chaffed a good deal because Northcroft had not brought an ''escort of troopers'', and had placed himself entirely at the mercy of the ''tino tangata kino o te motu nei''! When one of his own people said that an ought not to be allowed to go through Manga said that it was ''because he was a Government man and an Apiha of Te Makarini that he let him go, where he a , he would not have troubled about him'' but now that ''Te Makarini and Tawhiao had shaken hands and the pakeha and hau haus were doing the same thing all over the country, he did not see why any pakeha might not go wherever he liked''! All this is I think very important as showing Rewi's good feeling, as well as the importance which he attaches to your negotiations with Tawhiao! I was not sorry to learn that he spoke very contemptuously of a section of Waikato, who because they thought that I ''did not pay sufficient heed to some of their letters etc.'' said that I should be withdrawn from the District'. he thought it ''very unlikely that Govt. would take any notice of what they said''! It appears to me that Manga will again take a prominent part, I believe that he is about to establish a number of kainga's along the line of the Punui, so that they may ''be near the pakeha''! It appears probable that very important movements may be expected within the next twelve months; the widening and improving by Tawhiao of the track across to Kawhia may mean something more than the carriage in-land of a few dried fish! I am My dear Sir Donald Yours very truly W. G. Mair