Auckland, April 25, 1874 My dear McLean, I write this taking chance of its coming into your hands before you leave Sydney. I learn from Vogel that you have prospects of a successful mission and I conclude that your return will not be so speedy as you intended when you left. There is nothing in Native Affairs in Waikato that needs your immediate attention. Mackay's and Te Wheoro's imagination seems to have been fired by the prospect that the Hauhau's were coming in at once but it has not so happened. Rewi came down to Kopua hoping to meet you. He sent for Mackay who went to him. It was clear that there was dissension between Maniapoto and Waikato but Rewi said nothing except that he would meet you hereafter at Taupo. The Governor believed that the end was at hand and urged me to come up and as he was going through Waikato to the Lakes with Governor Du Cane he arranged to meet the friendlies at Ngaruawahia on the 21st. I went there with him and there was a large gathering some 500 men and women, and the usual speeches on each side. I think on the whole that the meeting has done good. The day after the meeting Tawhiao came down with Honana and a few others to Kaipihi whence messengers come frequently to Alexander for sum. Yesterday I received the enclosed from Mair. If I am directly applied to by the Kupapas I will consent to their going to Waitomo only on condition that there is some definite good purpose in their going, the whole of which shall be openly declared. It appears to me that Tawhiao from his own misconduct is losing influence with his followers and it may be that they want to get rid of him by quartering him upon the Pakeha. There is some trouble at Patea also as you may see from Cooper's telegram but I do not attach much importance. to it. The settlers there are given to bluster. I return to Wellington by steamer on Monday. O'Rorke is coming up to the Provincial Council here and Reynolds is going to Dunedin. Mackay has gone on with the Governors to Rotorua and when he returns I hope to get him down to the Thames to his land purchase business and to let Waikato alone altogether for a while. He must be always something, and activity in Native Matters is sometimes mischievous. We are having lovely weather here but no rain and there is fear of scarcity of food for stock in the winter. For the rest all goes well. The superintendents are preparing for mischief in the session but they may not be able to do any harm; their greed is insatiable and Williamson is nearly as bad as any of them. Yours always truly, Daniel Pollen