Wellington Osgood's Hotel, Saturday 17th Novr. 1866 My dear McLean I returned to this City last night from a trip to the front and the upper Rangitikei District; and I start for Canterbury this evening. I had a long interview in the presence of Major Marshall with Kawana Hunia at the small village outside of the British Boundary line of the Upper Rangitikei Block, and the result is that he has promised when the great gathering of the tribes takes place in the first week of next month to introduce the subject and to advocate as strongly as possible the sale to me of the Block of land commencing at the British boundary, then along the Rangitikei River till you reach Ohangaiti which is above Otara - the upper boundary being a straight line connecting the River Rangitikei with the River Turakina, so as to include within the Block all the lands of Ohangaiti and Tikapu. From conversations which I have had with Surveyors this block contains about 150,000 acres of Bush Land intersected by deep gullies; and from the report of a party which I sent to explore, I find that there may be about 1600 acres of land at Otara and Ohangaiti, which might be cleared at a moderate cost. Kawana Hunia wanted me to pay cash, and I promised that if the Crown Grant for the land specified above, was made out in my name I would pay Five thousand Pounds cash. I am to pay for the cost of Survey and the ten per cent demanded and the issue of the Crown Grant. Hunia is to find me 30 natives free of cost to clear the upper Boundary line. A letter from Hunia written at his dictation by George Rees (a son of Dr. Rees of Wanganui) and who resides in the little Native village above alluded to, will reach you by this day's post. Hunia made George Rees give me an English translation of the letter, so I am aware of its contents. Now the end of all this long story is that I wish you would speak to Renata and the other heirs of Te Moriati (Old October as Major Marshall calls him) telling them what kind of a man I am, and recommending them to consent to the sale of the said Block to me. If you can do this I believe the sale will be effected, and I shall be put in possession with six months. Old Tabui Potaka above a month ago was sent for Hawkes Bay from this said little village by his son Utuku who, it appears, had got into a Row for striking some other Maori. The old man Potaka, Marshall says, is anxious that the sale should be effected, but You can if you see them tell Potaka and his son Utuku all about me. There was a story brought down yesterday that the Maoris were going to give you trouble again but as I am told that the Hawkes Bay Papers do not mention the circumstance, I presume that the story is false. Yours very sincerely, J. Cracroft Wilson To Moriati is buried at Hori Hori (? Hou Hou) I presume that his Relatives will move his bones according to custom if the sale is effected. I wish that you would give me some Maori word which I might adopt as my Maori name I will not be called "Wiriana" I want a Maori word signifying "The Borderer" or "The Chieftain" or somesuch word which might descend to my sons and be the Maori name of the family. If you comply with this request you must write the word which might descend to my sons and be the Maori name of the family. If you comply with this request you must write the word very plainly. The title of Turakina would be a pretty title. Might I without offending native prejudices adopt it? The river will border the Estate.