Sept. 14th, 1865. Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 10th inst. acquainting me with the decision of the Govt. as regards the quarrel between the Hawkes Bay Chiefs. The real question at issue arises as you assume out of disputed proprietorship to land. The course proposed by the Govt. in reference to the Hauhaus is so clear and intelligible that I shall have no difficulty in explaining it to the Natives. I have already intimated to Karaitiana my entire disapproval of his attempts to precipitate hostilities in this district, and I shall now be in a position to inform him that the Govt. has fully corroborated the views expressed by me which were that the Hauhaus should not be interfered with unless they committed some overt act, and that the Govt. would not sanction any hostilities arising out of disputed titles to land which could be easily settled by arbitration. I have only to add that I shall take an early opportunity of conveying the substance of your own and Mr. Welds views to the Natives. Since writing the above I have seen Karaitiana explained the views of the Govt. as requested by you and handed him your letter of the 10th inst. I have an assurance from him that he will not for the present interfere with the Hauhaus. He is however decidedly averse to submit disputed titles to land claimed by him to any tribunal or arbitration whether composed of European or Native arbitrators, and says the law may be very good as applicable to others but not so if it interferes with lands claimed by him. Native Minister.