Turanga 20 April 1867 D. McLean, Esq. Dear Sir, We are not getting on very well with our land settlement. You will receive a communication from our natives on the matter. I must confess I do not think our loyal party are unreasonable in their wishes and should have some little defference shown them. They certainly were the first to hoist the Queen flag. (We need not scorn their motives.) They served our turn for the time, and were always told by myself and others that they would be respected as long as they continued faithful, now they are placed nearly on the same position as the Hau hau party, it makes one look rather small, in fact places me at any rate, in the position of having told them deliberate falsehoods. Were their wishes acceded to the settlement might at once be proceeded with, and a spilt would be caused by their leaving Wi Perk and his party to fight their own battle, and as their people (te Taitangamahaka) have nearly all been in arms against us, the work with them would be very short. Our natives look to you as in the first place they gave "the whole land into your hand", by so doing they shewed their faith in yourself and certainly expected you to apportion their lands had you had the management of the matter, I have no hesitation in saying the whole affair would ere this have been satisfactorily arranged. Mr. Biggs is rather too unyeilding to deal with natives. As they will give you the boundaries of what they offer, and the portion they wish to retain I think you will agree with me, their wishes are not unreasonable. From your knowledge of Native character and of our people in particular, your opinion surely must carry weight, and if you agree with the natives here in their ideas it is but reasonable for them to expect you will make some little fight in their favour. Very faithfully, J. W. Harris.