Napier August 27th. 1866 My dear McLean, I duly received yours of the 24th. inst., covering the "Hikutoto and Pupukum Leasing Bill", together with the Order in Council anent the "Protection of Birds Act.". These are duly gazetted, or rather preparing for it to-day. I hope you would enjoy your trip to Akiteo, and I suppose you will join the "Ahuriri" to-morrow, at the Castle. Ormond will come in for you; will hear all out little locals, which amount to nothing very interesting, except that we have heard rumours of invasion from the Hau Haus, at Titiokura. Matete, with 170, and Paora Toki and Rangihiroa, 100; say 270 men, all armed, threatening the town and country, last Monday and Tuesday, but we have seen nothing of them. I gave Karatiana and Tareha ten more rifles each, with a small quantity of ammunition; and these men promised at my request, to send scouts and observe the enemy. No reports have come in from them since. I do not think that these fanaties will venture down to their destruction, but it may be that they will borrow sundry sheep from Whitmore, and otherwise make it desirable to root out their nest. If this is ever done of course I should prefer tried men, such as Kopu, to our very new allies here, who would be extremely likely to run away from a few fiorce looking wild men. I see you will not join the Ministry, although it is apparently a strong one. I fancy Fox will ultimately be the man, although he did make some very egregerious blunders. Stafford is too imperious, I fancy, to agree long with any Ministry, except a very servile one, though I may be mistaken. He is undoubtedly able and industrious with all, which makes a great difference. You have other able men is the House, - such as Domett; but without the needful industry. I give you one month more. or somewhere thereabouts, ere you come home. I enclose with this, 3 letters of a private nature, by the last mail. Great news from Europe; trust this Amageddon business will soon be over, and not involve old England, or goodness knows where or when it will end, if England and France join the melee. Wool might come down to 1/- again, and then we should he, some of us, in Queer Street. However, let us hope for the best. I do not expect, with the improving arms of Europe, that any war will ever last six months again. Erer yours truly (Signed) Joseph Rhodes.