17 Dec. 1873. My dear Mr. McLean, The enclosed is the letter which I telegraphed to you today I should forward to Auckland, but I believe it will be most speedy to do so thro' your office at Wellington. You will doubtless direct a proper answer to be sent. The matter referred to I have heard something of. The tribe concerned seem to be a little spoilt. It is very satisfactory that you have been able to quiet the disturbances about Otaki without force, altho' I confess to a wish that the cat could be laid on the back of some of the blatant of the rioters. I do not know if I am wrong in putting together Major Kemp's connection with some of them and his good offices in restoring tranquillity. If he can do so much why did he not prevent the occurrences? It looks to me as if the last thing desired by both parties was a settlement and that the re-opening of litigation is agreeable to both. I hear a good deal of the discontent of the Natives hereabouts; and of their seditious talk in their meeting houses. Mr. Stack told me that he thought it might possibly grow into fanaticism. I visited Kaiapoi on the 13th and was well received. The natives repaired their road for my carriage, as I was told, just sufficiently for the occasion. Two practical questions were asked me in the speeches. Why are the Native Lands in the Middle Island exempted from the Land Act of last session. I said I presumed because it was thought that the Native Office could deal more satisfactorily with them. Secondly if they could depend upon their schoolmaster not being taken from them. To this I said I believed they might as long as they supported him heartily, which seemed to please them greatly. He appears to be a very efficient man. The meaning of this I was told was that they had read or heard that the Provincial Council had resolved that the Board of Education should provide gratuitously for the education of Maori children, and hence they had imagined that their present schoolmaster, not being certificated, would not be allowed to remain! I believe that if you were to look to Mr. Rolleston and make Mr. Stack report to him, many of the grievances would be avoided. If the Province were looked to, they would not be averse to deal liberally and intelligently with the Natives. I speak of course only of Canterbury. At Akaroa the Maoris are anxious to have a house in the village. They say they have no place to stay in and that their children in consequence have too far to go to school. Mr. Rolleston thinks such a house more productive of evil than good: but I should be inclined to look to some influential native for its good order, on which its continuance should depend. In the mean time they think themselves hardly used. They are poor there. That Wairarapa chief is here and attended the meeting at Kaiapoi as did many natives from Point Levi etc. The Wairarapa chief offered to accompany me to Otago. I dare say you know whom I mean. At present I propose to leave Invercargill after the January mail has arrived, say about the 20th and come round the West Coast, calling at Nelson. In February I expect Mr. Weld there (he comes by the January mail) and at the end of the month, Mr. Du Cane, who will accompany me via Napier to Taupo and Tauranga. Perhaps you will kindly keep this intention of mine in view with reference to meetings of Natives and Volunteers. But pray remember that I wish to hold neither, except to serve some useful purpose. From Tauranga I should go to Auckland more or less directly, and early in April probably to Manganui. Believe me yours sincerely James Fergusson