Auckland October 12th, 1871 My dear McLean, You will get by the mail all the official reports that have come in relative to the late Meeting at Te Kuiti. The emissaries to Ngapuhi were here; they were entertained at Brown's and have been franked upon their mission to Ngapuhi. I shall be glad to see Ngapuhi stand aloof from them and I think you would do well to get Maning to prevent their going to Te Kuiti. Union amongst the Tribes is not, politically, desirable for us. I have had a long talk with Te Wheoro; he is radiant about the Meeting, at which he was the most prominent person, and expresses great confidence that with concession of both sides a safe settlement may be made with the King's people. Todd's murderers be given up but, if peace were made, he thinks they might safely be taken if at any time they could be caught. He is busy food-planting but has promised a written report as soon as possible. I have given 2 or 3 tons of potatoes to be planted at Pirongia for the meeting next year. Puckey I am sorry to say has failed to get the mail through by Ohinemuri. He got back the letter bag detained by the Kiriwera; the accompanying note was part of the contents. By way of compensation you will be glad to hear that the Telegraphs by way of Whangamata will be all right. I enclose the Telegrams received today from Puckey and Mackay. I will see Mackay tonight and give you particulars by the Phoebe on Saturday. The purchase of the foreshore also goes on satisfactorily. I have got 4 of the most important purchases completed, and Moananui and others have given up their interests in several more. O'Keeffe is very mischievous, and at his instigation Rapana, relying upon some foolish promises of Williamson, holds out. He must come in however in time. Old Warbrick has a scheme for carrying the mail to Cambridge by the Rereatukahia or to Matamata and thence by the river to Shortland. It is a little matter of financing withour ancient friend and I have held it over till I heard more from Ohinemuri. Warbrick wants £25 a week and is confident that he would be able to get some money at any rate. I don't believe that he would at present be allowed to do the work by the Natives. And so Vogel is deliberately going to cut the throats of all the Provinces and to ask the House to provide for burying all the supers. "Dacently"! Gillies will haunt him; so restless a spirit will not be laid. Even if, in the body, he we re planted with" the end of his nose and the tips of his toes turned up to the roots of the daisies" his ghost would be on the opposition benches, knocking for "returns", and begging to differ with everybody. Yours always truly, Daniel Pollen