Napier, March 29, 71. My dear McLean, This goes by the Lord Ashley and I have a good deal to tell you if I get time to write it - First about Ropata you will see by the official I send you that there is a really good chance that he may have been caught - it is probably settled one way or the other before this and I am hopeful of a good result. I expect to hear through Poverty Bay about the 2 or 3rd of next month as Ropata will make out there from Te Haupapa. It seems pretty clear from other information I have that the Wairoa's have been in communication with Te Kooti for some time - the man Tautata, Te Kooti's soldier who has given Ropata his information, says so, and that Tamihana Huata has sent him presents etc. I am not sure if I have had an opportunity of writing to you since Ropata came out at Wairoa and will therefore tell you what happened. Of course there was the usual drunk at Wairoa which occupied nearly a fortnight during which I exchanged several