Wallingford Novr. 8th/66 My dear McLean Your messenger has been here some time - I have been on the run at work - This is still in time for the mail - Your letter is very satisfactory as usual we are quite at one in our views of the present position of affairs - and I am glad you think the suggestions I have made reasonable, what prudence requires shd. bedone - I still wd. urge no other action at present than sending Frazer's force to the half demolished stockade at Waipukarou. They cd. tent it - The re-enforcement of Friendlies I wd. keep in hand with you ready to move at once on your requiring them - The ammunition and any arms that are sent forward will be looked after by me and kept in hand for emergency. I will keep my natives in heart by telling them that they will get arms as soon as they can be got - I have no fresh news other than is contained in my letter written last night I see what you say about the Native messengers being slow in movement etc - I am employing them mainly to get at the intentions of the invading party. No European can manage that, but Henare's man is instructed to go in and endeavour to find out what can be got at thro' Wairarapa and Court Friendlies - He will be here in eight hours from Castle point the Natives having arranged for this by changing horses on the road. Altogether I do not think I can improve my present means of communication - and shall have ample notice of any movement - If Frazer is authorized to march on my requisition - I should if occasion required act pretty much as follows. On receipt of absolute intelligence that the party was coming by the coast, I shd. call upon him to advance to Porangahau - sending on to you for support and for Whitmore to come up - I shd. also see to the Wainui settlers and get the settlers here (the District) organized - Also the Friendly Natives who with the Manawatu's wd. muster over 100 men - We shd. then await your arrival with Whitmore as I suppose you wd. like to be up in case of your presence being wanted - If on the other hand news comes the party are advancing by way of the Bush - I shd. go on to Waipukerau District and Rua Tanenha and do all I could there in the way of warning the Settlers near the line of march and getting things organized ready for you and Whitmore to act when you arrived - Moving Frazer so as to follow the march of the Hauhau's - At the same time I still have my own convictions that the party never will trouble us at all - but it is well to be prepared and I think we are doing all that is necessary in that way - I see Lord Henry has been bothering you dont take any heed of him - and for goodness sake dont let him or any one else meddle with our arrangements - Of course Whitmore in these things is one of us and I speak of us as including him - Tell him I am delighted he has declined their beggarly pay - let us go through with this affair as settlers - acting for themselves and their District. I think though it will be some time before we find other Northern Island communities ready to imitate our example - I have no more to say - reply in despatch in acquainting you with any intelligence that comes - Remember me kindly to Whitmore and tell him I guarantee him plenty of time to come up to take command and moreover he will command a set of men who will not be called upon twice to charge if it shd. come to that - Depend upon it the class of men we employ will make better self reliance men than the Townies - Yours always J.D. Ormond The Hui of Rangitane will most undoubtedly delay any movement of Wairarapa's in this direction. J.D.O.