New Plymouth 11th. Augt. 1873. My dear McLean, I know very little of Alexander, he brought me a letter from Dr. Horne; the acting manager of the Bank (National of N. Z.) knows him, as also Mr. Owen Jones, and Mr. Gwynneth; everyone who has been in Auckland and knew him there, speaks of him as a man who can float timber down the Waitara, and that apart from the supply of the railway with timber, which Mr. Gwynneth has offerred to Alexander, that a local, as well probably an export trade can be established from Waitara, instead of importing timber, which we have done for many years. Standish says he can get up the company if the land can be got. Alexander says he can get the natives to cut the timber and put it in the river, if the Government will give leave, and let the Company have the 3000 acres at a stated price so soon as any native outstanding questions admit of it. Alexander wants to buy 1,000 acres, principally grass, fern and some patches of timber, for himself at Taramoku; if he gets this, and is willing to settle it on his wife, from a business point of view, I have no objection to his marrying one of my daughters; but he has Mrs. Brown and my daughter to gain over, which I am not certain of. This is all the interest I have in the matter, and I do not propose to have anything to do with the company, for I have no money to venture. Alexander has shown some spirit and pluck as well as endurance, for he left with one swag of provisions, which lasted him some eight or ten weeks, he gets on well with the natives, and will make a good pioneer in the settlement of the land acquired in Ngatimaru. Yours ever Truly, Chas. Brown.