Matata April 29th 1869 Dear Sir I have not had much time for writing lately since I wrote last we have done nothing but march through to Taranaki and come round here The plan is to attack from three points namely Whakatane river, Wairoa and Ahikereru Whitmore goes by the latter he has great hopes of doing something before the Assembly meets but I think there is little chance it is too late in the year to do any good in the Ruatahuna country - I was sorry to see you had lost the Govt. Agency but they will gain nothing such a step as that our ''chief'' here is in great glee about it and never loses an opportunity of abusing you, he has great conceit of his own influence over the Natives on the East Coast - I was sorry to hear of the ''Mohaka'' fighting the people weem to have foolishly given in they might have stuck to the pa till assistance got there if they had liked I wish I had with them in the pa I should have defended it if possible or retreated in the night. The Wairoa people if what the paper says is true behaved very badly, but with Maoris half the battle is in the management if they have confidence they will fight well. I hardly think Te Kooti himself was there it must have been some of his people, I was sorry to hear of Poor Lavin being killed. I must now close there is no news here but a threatened attack on Opotiki we start in a few days for Ahikereru most of the troops and stores are up at Te Teko. Believe me to remain Yours truly George Preece