Danesfort, Paeroa
29 December 1902

Dear Partridge

Yours of 27th to hand, I wrote to W H Grace and G T Wilkinson on the 23rd as to the chances of getting up the war dance at Otorohanga- but have not as yet received any reply from them. In any case I will have to run up to Otorohanga and fix up the thing in the first instance, then I shall be better able to judge if I require any outside Natives over and above those at Otorohanga and its neighbourhood. I fear Te Heuheu is too far off to get him to come and the expense would be heavy. I can get 7 or 8 fairly good
fellows here and their railway fares would not be heavy from here to Otorohanga and back. We would have food to pay for [].

I suppose I am right in assuming that you wish the war party taken by instantaneous photography and then painted in oils by Herr Lindauer as soon as he can manage it afterwards. I suppose that you, Herr Lindauer and the Photographer will all meet at Otorohanga and then proceed to business. The train comes there M. T. Wednesday from Auckland.

I am a little handicapped at present as Mrs. Mackay is only just recovering from a very severe attack of inflammation of the lungs, and I cannot leave home for a few days yet.

In haste
Yours truly
James Mackay