Copy of translation
Ohaeawai, Bay of Islands
Auckland, New Zealand
March 19 1883

Oh Miss Weale I salute you dear friend! Your letter reached me on the 13th of March. The good words of advice it contains are very excellent. We are all full of grief now at the work, the doings of the government. Great is the evil. Therefore we are sending you our petition that you may see it and know our thoughts with regard to the government over here who will not regard us. We are sending round the great petition to all the various chiefs, and when it returns to the Bay of Islands we shall send it to England.

Another thing I have to say to you is that the school at Ohaeawai is very bad, it has been in existence for nine years, and there is not a child who knows anything thoroughly as yet. The teacher is not quite good enough, it is only a woman we have. We purchased a harmonium for £20 that is the government gave £10 and we gave £10 and yet there is not one child that can play the harmonium properly. I have no more to say.

From your friend
Hete te Haara

N.B. Dorotea, my brother … daughter translated your letter for me. She and her sister Charlotte were both here for she was married in this moth March.

Great is the good conduct of the people of Mangakalia, Ohaeawai and Te Waimati also of Waimameka. The new Church here is being built at Kakaohe, it was began early this month. I have no more news to write.

Farewell!