Copy. Tauranga Feby. 1st. 1870. My dear Fraser, I was never more surprised in my life than to find Turner standing at my door this evening and to learn from him that you were at Oripa I had certainly concluded that you would be at Tapapa this morning. I cannot for the life of me see what could have occasioned such an alteration in the plan agreed upon. I went as I promised you I would do in the ''Sturt'' and have rushed up a force sufficiently strong to do what you are doing now i.e. preventing any attempt on the part of Te Kooti to get through to Maketu and the Arawa settlements on the Rotoiti. However you know best what ought to be done -- of one thing you may rest assured you will not meet Te Kooti on this side of the Ranges. He is still at Patetere and is giving McDonnell enough to do. The latest information up to last evening was that fighting was still going on. Te Kooti