May 18th 1870 Dear McLean I have just received unpleasant news - and have only time to enclose you Mr Porter's report from which you will see Ropata has taken the Huff and turned up at Wairoa - It is a pity and disappointing but one gets used to that. I start Locke at once in the St Kilda for Wairoa to try and get Ropata off to finish the Waikaremoana work, the weather is fine and Locke will be at Wairoa in a few hours - My letters to Ropata explaining that the Wairoa's were only