Napier Aug. 31 /67 My dear McLean I have to thank you for your favors of the 21 and 22 Inst., and I may congratulate you on the successful passing of your first "Bill" the Native representation Bill, for although at the date of your letters not passed, I glean from the published reports that the House was almost unanimously in favor of it - The Hansard is rather heavy reading and plainly shows that quite as much time is frittered away in the Assembly by Hon. members as in the Provincial Councils - I hope that no more time will be wasted over McAndrew and Co., but I quite agree with the remarks of the "Press" that Stafford's Ministry ought to have disallowed Macandrew's election as Supt. in the first instance - to have taken the "Bull by the horns" at once instead of beating about the bush - I have always found the most straightforward course the safest to adopt in all measures public or private - We are terribly hard up for money I need not tell you, and I hope you have made all right with the Bank for a further advance - pending the raising of our Loan - I have told Weber to incur no fresh outlay of any kind whatsoever save what is absolutely necessary to finish existing contracts etc. - You must push Stafford and old Fitz about the "Loan" or you may he left uncared for after your voting power is unnecessary to the Govt. With respect to the Papakura Block, there are several applications to purchase lodged in the office, amongst whom Brandon and Brown are the first and most urgent to have the price settled by arbitration - I have not appointed the Govt. Arbitrator or taken any further steps in accordance with your instructions to leave the matter alone until the meeting of council. Whatever may be our state of impecuniosity the Auckland folks are worse, and they will by their members come round to the support of the Govt. yet - and sell their Otago allies, if money is forthcoming, anyhow, to relieve the pressure of their difficulties Stafford knows this very well and will make use of it ere the Parliament is much older - Locke ought to have been back here last steamer to attend to his business which is suffering; I expect them on Monday however although they did not say so, and the holiday will do him no harm for an extra week - Both you and Ormond tell me of a great loss of sheep in the South by snow storms, but I see no account thereof in the papers - Ormond thinks it is an "ill wind that blows nobody good" and takes comfort that we shall not have to use our boiling down pots so soon - We have had fine weather since the floods of the 3rd inst., but the lands are still wet in places for sowing crops. Very heavy N.W. winds have blown during the day some time past - The Bishop is not back here yet - When I wrote you first on native matters there was somewhat of gloom overhanging us in the opinion of the Bishop and the Revd. S. Williams but the atmosphere has cleared wonderfully since then. All the reports seem to have been lying ones, and let us hope that we shall have continued peace - If a few firebrands were arrested such as the notorious leaders of the fanatics in mid island (Kereopa and others) I have no doubt we should hear no more of war and very little of riots or disturbances even on the frontiers - Weber and Cooper have been up to the 40 mile bush and returned without seeing Karaitiana - I have told them to go again - I spoke to Wilson yesterday about having the Acts in readiness - I suppose you will be back per Steamer on the 2nd Oct. - at latest, however shall hear from you on this point on Sunday or Monday or rather Tuesday I expect it will be - My new house is dull enough, but we had the boys and Mrs. Marshall to cheer us last Sunday and there is always lots of work. Yours very truly Joseph Rhodes