No. 47.
His Excellency the Governor-In-Chief to Potatau te Wherowhero.

I received last night from England a letter written to me by Lord Grey, in which he informed me that he had received and laid before the Queen the letter which yourself and the other chiefs of the Waikato wrote to the Queen. Lord Grey has requested me to let yourself and the other writers of this letter-know that the Queen had commanded him to express the great satisfaction with which she had received so loyal and dutiful a letter. Lord Grey was also commanded by the Queen to inform you all that there is not the very least foundation for the rumours relative to the taking-away of your lands, to which you allude, and that it never was intended that the Treaty of Waitangi should be violated by dispossessing the tribes which are parties to it of any portion of the land secured to them by the Treaty, without their consent. On the contrary, Her Majesty has always directed that the Treaty of Waitangi should be most scrupulously and religiously observed.

My good friends, I have thus delivered the Queen's message to you. I now say these few words: You thought you had a grievance to complain of, and you wrote a letter full of loving thoughts to the Queen, laying before her your fears. Without delay the Queen heard your complaint and has removed your fears, speaking to you words of lasting love and kindness, as her return for your love to her. Let this teach you that although the Queen is distant her love can reach you, her power protect you from injustice. If, therefore, you ever think that any oppress or intend to oppress you, be patient, be long-suffering, and, without letting anger carry you away, send your complaints to your Queen, who has thus shown you that she will listen to your words.