Auckland December 21st. 1870. My dear McLean, I have sent you from time to time all the papers about Todd's affair. There is I am afraid no doubt whatever that it was deliberately arranged with the cognizance of the King Tawhiao and was intended as a challenge to the Government. Old Manuhiri you see eends it passionately and sings his old tune about Mangatawhiri. The blow has been struck perhaps too soon for the schemes by the violent party amongst the Kawhia Hauhaus Tapihana and the other s of the old lot. There is much excitement just now and any movement on our side would probably bring on a general row. I have therefore kept everything and every body as quiet as possible. Te Wheoros visit has shown us just what we wanted to know that is the temper of the King's people and that is bad enough. Bye and bye perhaps when all are a little cooler, if that may be, something active might be ventured upon, perhaps if a man of war could be got to go into Kawhia and announce that she was going to stay there without firing a shot until the mrderers were given up it might have the desired effect and I think also that the survey on Pirongia should be finished the surveyors being protected the while. I would in any case advise you to make the strength of the A.C. in Waikato up to 200 men. I feel the difficulties of the situation and the responsibility that lies n either hand, whether you take any active measures or allow the thing to rest and be forgotten as Whiteley's murder was; there is danger in either course; but there is this to be said that if there is fighting you will have to meet more than the Waikatos in the field in my opinion. Some time ago an application was made to you about the church redoubt at Alexandra and when I was there the other day a deputation waited upon me to request me to call your attention to it. They want the church to be removed and a block house put up in the redoubt instead of it and I think they ask £140 as the cost of removing and reerecting the building. I promised to mention the matter do so thus. I enclose a telegram from Nihi Kukatai who volunteered it appears to go to Tokagnamutu. He is acting n a very doubtful fashion of late and I have reason to believe that his stands well with old Manuhiri and his lot. I shall be very glad to see you here. Yours very truly, Daniel Pollen.