Raglan July 5 /70 The Honorable The Native Minister My dear Sir I wrote to you on the 28th ult. about the robbery at Aotea. Since then Mr. Searancke has been here and meetings have been held. I attended two yesterday - one with the Europeans, and another with the natives. The Europeans are not much alarmed, but one or two expressed their opinion that a body of Constabulary ought to be stationed at Aotea etc. I told the meeting, a steamer sent into Kawhia, or a body of Europeans placed at Aotea, would probably lead to war, and a war to the abandonment of Raglan. Natives talked of ''tupato, aukati, and pahs'' - and even the removal of Aotea pakehas to this place, but this is nothing new - they always talk in this strain, when there is excitement. The English of this I read thus: ''double the salaries of native officers, and give each so many men, at so much per day'' - the following plan I believe, would be better for all parties, make native officers responsible for the peace of the district, and instruct them to cease provoking kingites by letting lands belonging to them in common, and tempting naked hauhaus to ''muru'', by landing properly in their sight, and on land belonging , as was the case at Raorao - unless the government is prepared and determined to protect traders wherever they choose to open a store - I very much fear we may have more ''muru'' - as the declaration that they would not do the like in this district, is now broken. Mr. Brabant, I suppose, will write to you at greater length, but I thought you would like a few lines from me. I remain, Yours very respectfully, C. H. Schnackenberg.