Gentlemen, In reply to your letter of this days date stating that you consider your residence in Kawhia unsafe and that you wish to avail of an opportunity to leave the place. In compliance with your request I shall make arrangements for the Charter of the James Schooner to take yourselfes and property to Hanukau conditionally of course that any Europeans left behind either by the Raven or Matilde shall have a passage by the same opportunity to Manukau In consequence of recent reports from Aotea and Raglan to the effect that the Ngatimaniapoto of Kawhia contemplate an attack upon Auckland I submit for His Excellency's consideration that unless more favorable news is shortly received that it would be advisable to have some of the force at Taranaki removed to Auckland as there does not appear to be any reliable arrangement made for the defence of Auckland in the event of sudden attack. The Waikato have not yet joined in this movement. Whether they will interfere to prevent it is not ascertained. The point of attack would be at the outskirts about Papakura and Waiuku and might be undertaken by small parties supported by a larger force under cover of the forest in the vicinity of Papakura. I have requested a friendly Chief connected with the Ngatimaniapoto tribe to proceed to Kawia to obtain further intelligence of the intentions of the Natives. Donald McLean 24 Septr. 1860