Letter from P. Wilson to Donald McLean Esq. J.P. dated 22nd. June 1849. COPY Henui 22nd. June 1849 My dear Mac, Your letter of the 6th. inst., came duly forwarded. We have this morning such a heavy hoar frost that the grass is turned to a lovely grey, and our roofs look as white as if powdered over. This forms the third hoar this Winter, so we have no great things to complain of. Your request as to Mr. Taylor and Matthews, you would find I had anticipated, for the rumour had somehow got to this, and as a reality was so absurd, that had it been anybody else than this vindicitive madman, I should have given it no attention. But I knew the man, and prescribed accordingly. I wish to goodness that you were back here for we are all going to sixes and sevens, and I want you to co-operate with me, and we are the only two that will do it, to rouse the old Captain from the mischief that his councellor is causing him. That affair of Billings v. Turton, and Turton v. Billings, has now got to a crisis; and thus, after, I believe, three rejectments from the Court, - a case, in my opinion, parallel, was found in a Nelson paper of /47, where the squatter was compelled, under the "", either to abandon, or become a tenant. On this, Halse submitted to the Captain for a new trial of the case; but he, backed we presume by Standish, would admit of no parallelism, so that all he could get was a consent to submit the case for opinion to the Attorney General. This H. resolved to do; and accordingly sent officially for copies of the depositions of the former trial evidences; when it was obliged to be confessed that Here, then, is one bad feature of Court management; and in H's case, which has been forwarded, it gives an ugly colouring. But this is not the worst of the matter, for Turton got excited at the Captain's continued obstinancy, and has written a tremendous philippic to the Governor, accusing the Captain of unfair administration of the Law, and of determined hostility to the Company, ever since he sat on the Bench, and was---(?) as that body's Agent. My opinion is that the two papers going together will cause the Government to institute an enquiry. I do most sincerely regret the matter, in so far, however, only as regards the Captain, for I am certain he is the dupe of Stan- -dish, and keeps himself unpopular by listening to his advice. What, therefore, I want you back here for, is to unite with me in boldly bringing the matter of the public opinion, as regards Standish's influence, before the Captain; and with Mr. Cutfield, whose opinions however, I am not aware of, we might succeed. You are aware that the magistrates, generally, are of opinion that the Captain is not so deferent to their judgments ad he ought to be; and in Halse and Turton's case, I cannot but join them; and more particularly as I believe the same influence has operated, as was so nearly operating in the cause of Mr. Brown and Witani. Thus, I am clearly of opinion that we must get the Captain entirely disentangled from his present guide. Otherwise, I can forsee that very shortly there will be such a rumpus as will lead to the most unpleasant consequences. As regards Turton's letter to the Governor,; I think he has travelled so far out of his path, for he should have animadverted only on the Captain's conduct as regarded the immediate case; and aschewed retrospect. As it is, however, it can hardly fail to make an unfavourable impression, and the ice now being broken, a flood may follow. You see, then, how necessary your presence here is; for, though, in the first instance he may be annoyed or angry at our interference, eventually he will see we have been acting as his best friends. I have of late had, when in his company, at my tongue's end to tell him plumply and plainly that that man is ruining his popularity; but restrained myself on the ground that my short acquaintance did not warrant the liberty. I am heartily glad to find that at last the clan is coming. I lost no time in seeing Lakeman regarding the farm; and flatter myself I have diplomatised so well as to be entitled to have a good cow at a long credit, when Breadalbane and his herd arrive. I need not say to you how much of the farm is in cultivation, but he has at present twenty herd of cattle grazing thereon; five acres of wheat up, and looking well; and will also have some barley and oats. Lakeman's terms are either a lease of five or seven years, at £35 per annum, paid half yearly, with liberty to purchase at any intermediate time for £300; or to buy it at once, just as suits our friend. Everyone here thinks it a capital bargain, and I am sure it is so. What with clearing, fencing, and building, it has cost more than twice the amount. Lakeman says thrice; and I suspect he exaggerates moderately. Lakeman will also sell him the crops; so that he, wife and bairns will have their parritch raised to hand. My wife is so glad that I must let her cool a part more before she writes. He should bring round several cows with him, for butter is at an extravagant figure at Auckland; and Brown, who really is our most spirited enterprising merchant here, is going to put on a regular fifty ton trader betwixt this and that place immediately. Our bridge has been sadly delayed by the late bad weather; but now Broadmore and that splendid fellow Robinson, are hard at it. The foundation and posts on the Henui side have been up some time; and to-day they are putting up the same on the town side. When this is done the work will get on swimmingly, as every piece is completed and fitted. It will then be the best bridge, I suspect, yet erected in New Zealand. A body of natives have stuck up an advertisement in English and Maori (the schoolmaster is abroad) offering day's labour at eighteen pence. Harvesting will now be a cheap affair here, compared with former times; and the whites may go farm at their convenience. But no doubt the natives are surplanting them as labourers. I have gotten your little mare returned; and William has taken her out to the Mataroa. She cannot be long in foaling; but I am not aware when she was covered. MoShane is in statu quo; and expressed to me the other day, the belief that he never will mount a horse again; and I do not think he is mistaken. He expressed himself greatly obliged to you for taking her back. My mare is turning out very well. She has been eating some of your crop of hay, but I shall repay you in that, in grass this year, as my crop is progressing very favourably. . There was curious hubbub in town to-day, among the natives, owing to a report that an infant had been murdered, at the Waitara, by a native who recently came from Wanganui, and who has since run off. Cook is to write and tell you all about it, for at present the averments and the denials are about par; consequently no believing either. Your big mare, Charlotte, has been doing damage among the farms in and about town lately; and I was applied to, to-day, regarding her. Accordingly, I went to town to-day to see the Captain about it, but he did not come down. Legally the sufferers of course have no claim; but I shall dispute your being amenable to pay anything; as she is in the keeping of the Mataroa herd. Otterridge, whom you pay for looking after her, - a fellow who rides out once or twice a week, to the Omata, and looks no more after the beasts in his charge than I do. There have been several cases of Bolland's, with fever, this Winter. Now I have seen one of a low, insidious typhus character. No one instance gives me reason to believe that it is propagated by contagion, or otherwise, than springing from an indigenous household malaria. It is not, to me, singular; but very, indeed, to those whose attention I have called to the fact, that all have occurred in houses where there is not a free circulation of air between the ground and the floor; hitherto, without exception. I am going to institute an enquiry as to your former vases; and have little, or no doubt but shall find that the notion of fever having been brought from Auckland by Mr. Fisher, is altogether now no more nor less than a error. No deaths have occurred, but some mighty near to that termination. Helen and Pat unite in kindest regards, and believe me, My dear Mac ever most faithfully yours (Signed) P. Wilson. I forget if I have mentioned that I received on the 21st. from Capt. King, the sum of £13.0.9 on your account; that being the balance due to you after paying £26 to Mr. Cutfield for the little mare. To:- Donald McLean Esq. J.P. Wanganui,