New Plymouth April 11th. 1859 My dear Sir Since your departure for the South, nothing particular has occurred in my department to report officially upon - I therefore send you a few lines privately. The Puketapu Natives have been holding meetings at Mahoetahi, for the purpose of gathering together and uniting the scattered fragments of that troublesome tribe,and proposing a general peace with the Ngatiawas. This being a step in the right direction, I deem it advisable to keep Teiras question in abeyance for a short tiem until I see what is likely to be the result of this movement; they have unanimously agreed not to interfere with the Waitara question in opposition to Teira, but how much such a declaration is worth, I must leave to you to judge. I left on Wednesday last with Mr. Richmond for Parininihi and returned on Friday. It's proposed to look for a road inside the White Cliffs to avoid that part of the Beach from Pukeruhe to the ascent by the rope, which if successful will be the permanent line, and thereby avoid the expense of tunnelling or cutting down the Cliff by the rope for a temporary accomodation. I have been to Kaitere to see Henry Te Puni and his people on the Waiwakaiho question, I offered them the money and a piece of Timber land for a final settlement of the question, but they reject the terms and say they shall keep the land. A case of trespass on their Potatoes growing on this land and not fenced has occurred the past week. Alexander King had some horses running on Watsons Farm inland of Upokotanki which strayed away and got on to these Potatoes, when the Katere Natives took them and brought them to the Pound and claimed damages, which the Resident Magestrate refused to awards because they were not fenced. At this they were very indignant and gave us notice that they should impound anything they caught in future in their own dock-yard and impose what charge they thought proper. Henry leaves today for Wellington where no doubt you will see him. Mr. Richmond is quite of your opinion on this question, and thinks the Government should insist upon the surrender of this land, but agrees with me that it will be better to defer any action upon it untill Teiras question is settled. Halse leaves tomorrow for Wanganui. A gentleman of/mean authority in his own estimation came to me on Saturday, to tell me that he gave you some valuable hints just as you were leaving, and wanted to know if you had furnished me with them as he considered you should have done so coming from such undoubted authority as he flatteringly believes himself to be/no doubt have thought who he is, but in case you should not I will give you his name - F. Carrington. I hope you had a comfortable passage with Norris who certainly has done the trick very nicely - poor Mrs. Norris is turned out of the house and everything is to be sold this week. The old Jew appears to have assisted him to get away, for which I believe he got a "Bill of Sale'bearing I suppose cent per cent. With kind respects I remain My dear Sir Yours most respectfully, Robert Parris