Auckland, March 4th, 1872 My dear McLean, I am glad to hear the news from Taranaki. William King's coming out is an event. I hope that the whole Maori question is gradually getting settled. Here and there a noisy fellow tries to get up a shindy but the fire does not catch. There is a general failure of crops every where, and I think there is more disposition to work for money than to fight in view of the coming winter. In one shape or other you will have to feed the tribes, for a portion of the time at least before next harvest. All the better; they must work or sell land. Dont let the Governor come overland or blunder into native matters in Waikato until every thing is clear. He might properly be in Auckland in April, if that be time you have appointed to meet Rewi, but the Governors appearance amongst the Waikatos should be the crowning acts of reconciliation after every question had been settled by you with Manuhiri and the others. The recent difficulty about the wire to Tauranga has been finally adjusted by Mackay. I thought it prudent to discontinue sending mails by Ohinemuri because diggers were beginning to drift up there and were the cause of disturbance. I have however arranged for a better service by the route of the Telegraph line. A temporary station will be placed at Hikutaia to which the line is made and from thence to Katikati messages can be sent probably every day. The work will I hope be finished in six weeks or two months at latest. No mail by the big steamer, line snowed up. We shall see you I presume soon. It is very important that this Waikato business should be closed whilst the disposition of the majority is good. Gillies has been away with his family at Wangarei for more than a fortnight, recruiting I suppose for the session. I see that the Meeting is to be at Wellington and suppose that it was never in doubt Yours very truly, Daniel Pollen