peace during this last quarrel have been rejected by him; and though so cowardly as to run away screeching from some eight or nine boys (really so) when with some say forty some eighty at his back he surprized them; they to his astonishment facing round and cooly firing on his party: he yet by his cunning appears in the eyes of the Natives to have boarded the Government, setting them at defiance were the Government to entertain Nikorima's proposals and with him and Ihaia treat for the purchase of their lands I believe any determined act of the Government of such a character would make the wily coward succumb to the necessities of the case and bring him to be a land seller as well I do not think anything else will. The circumstances of some of the Waikatos favourable to the Maori King movement having been to the Waitara to use their influence to put an end to the quarrel may I fear have some effect on Ihaia and Nikorima's people in inducing them to place themselves under that protection. They more particularly Nikorima are at the present time well affected, but can we expect them to continue so unless we hold out to them some hope that their situation will receive our attention, and that some means will be adopted for preventing others from interfering with them in the sale of their lands. This it must be borne in mind is the real cause of quarrel, as no one for a moment now believes that the death of Katatori has anything to do with it. Mr. Halse has I suppose informed you that Ihaia and Nikorima have retired from their pas and gone to Vrenui. W. King and his party burnt them down, when the Taranakis and I believe all but his own people dispersed. Last week it was talked about and obtained credence that he W.K. intended to follow Ihaia and Nikorima to attack them where they now are; and on Saturday one of the Native Policemen who had been to the neighbourhood of the Waitara on duty brought up word that he intended to do so on Monday (to-morrow) The Taranaki Natives returned very quietly to their homes. I had desired Mr. Halse to inform them that they would not be allowed to pass through the town with a display of arms. Tohana and E'Waka of the Kauwau pho poh'd this, but when they found we were determined, shwed the white feather and submitted. The guns were put into a cart and the man pass'd by without any demonstration. Mr. Whiteley called on me this evening to tell