Auckland, August 31st 1870 My dear McLean, I have asked Clarke to report to you regarding the recent law proceedings against Natives at the Thames. That knavish little whelp Turton has been notoriously engaged in diddling Maories out of their land and he has recently taken upon himself to levy war upon a native settlement in order to effect the arrest of Aperahama Te Riroa and others he himself being Plaintiff in one of the cases and acting as Solicitor for a man named Cashel in the others for claims arising out of the beach affair. There is a regular system of swindling organized against the natives by limbs of the law like Turton and his ally. J. B. Russell, and certain licensed interpreters are the jackalls that hunt up the game for them. I called upon the sheriff in this case immediately and found that the bailiff at Shortland Mr. Collins had exceeded his instructions which were to effect the arrests quietly when he found the natives Mr. Turton however had employed 12 men as ''assistants'' and, accompanied by these people and some others the bailiff invaded the settlement at night and drove Moananui and others into the bush. There is a game amongst young gentlemen of the Turton stamp to get natives like Moananui who will do anything for a bottle of grog to sign promissory notes and then to take legal proceedings against them in hopes that the Government will be forced into paying the money; this is what has been tried in this case but I have refused to listen to any solicitations to pay these debts and thus encourage swindling on the one side and recklessness on the part of the natives in contrasting engagements on the other. You will find no end to this process if it can be made at all to pay. Matters have settled down and I have taken care that the Bailiff should receive orders from the sheriff to avoid expeditions of the kind in future but I think that the Attorney General shd. be asked whether any thing can be done or said as a warning to Mr. Turton. I have not interfered with the sitting of the Court at Ohinemuri this time as Fenton seemed inclined to try it again but I do not think that much if anything, will be done there. Yours very truly, Daniel Pollen