August 1863 My dear McLean, The best of fellows are not always the best of correspondents but when you have time I know you will answer the questions in the enclosed paper - of course I only ask you to give me information and if anything follows I can get you to recommend me an agent. What a serious state of affairs have come to pass in Auckland. Grey wrote to me on 7 July asking in the most urgent way for our small Detachment and I gave the order for their immediate embarkation an hour after I got his letter. The Commissary could not get transport for some days but that was not my fault. On 17 July Grey wrote again saying that Brigadier Chute had refused to send troops and he hoped I would still send them. Long before I got his second letter, however, the troops had sailed. From the imperfect accounts we receive I fear the struggle will be serious and prolonged: it seems that Teraiah and even the Ngatiwhatuahs have joined the Waikato and before long I expect to heat that every tribe in N.Z. except perhaps the Ngapuhis and some of those northern tribes will join. Cameron seems to be all that could be desired and has learned an important lesson since the day when he wanted to attack the Waikato with half his present force. All these doings and William Thompson's manifesto form a singular commentary upon Grey's despatches, magnifying the expenses of the late war and sneering at me for not believing William Thompson to be our most estimable friend. Fitzgerald continues his dissections of my politically dead body with his usual skill but I do not feel his operations in the least while I am much gratified at the gallant manner in which Weld and Tancted defend me. Fitzgerald's last dodge has been to garble a speech of Weld's to such a degree that any reader must suppose he was drunk when he made it. Harman, however, sent me the Lyttelton times in which Weld's speech appears, an admirable one, and Harman says that Fitzgerald had not five supporters in the whole meeting. How are you getting on at Napier? I have such faith in you that I believe Hawkes Bay will get only the skirt of the storm. If they had not been jealous of you they would have had better information than the Ministry seem ever yet to have had and (though I do not believe Grey could have settled the country without such an appeal to arms as has been made) they might have been better prepared for the events at Taranaki. I consider now that Grey's appointment was most fortunate for me for if war had broken out again in my time or even in that of any other governor, every murder would have been laid at my door and the Episcopal party would have said that Grey could settle every thing if he had but the opportunity. No one can now say that he has not had the opportunity. Bell is I believe in Melbourne and he will come here. I have got a good many volunteers for him and only want his acceptance of their services. Steward and my wife send kindest regards and believe me always My dear McLean Yours most sincerely G. B. (Gore-Browne)