to Te Kooti expeditions - On receipt of your Telegram authorising me to give the instructions I thought best, I authorised Preece (who would be in possession of much more information than any of us) to move on to Ruatahuna provided he considered his force strong enough - also I told him to use the name of the Ngatiwhakane in what he did and if Te Kooti would give himself up in that way to take advantage of it. All Mairs men are Ngatiwhakane so that this is quite open if there is anything in Hamlin's report. Orekatere, who is partly Ngatiwhakane was here at the time I was sending to Preece and I asked him how it was Ngatiwhakane had not reported at once to the Govt. when Te Kooti's