Napier July 27th./66. My dear McLean, Ormond having written to me for some information respecting the Boundaries of the Poverty Bay District proposal to be annexed I have gathered all I could from Archdeacon Williams who very kindly gave me all the assistance in the matter that was possible. Rough estimate as it is I think the tracing and memoranda I have sent to Ormond will be sufficient for the object. required. We are getting pretty low in Funds I have now only about £200 in the Bank for ordinary current expenditure. The drafts upon the Chest have been pretty heavy having had many unexpected calls - Vickery and Masefield paid off £246-17-8 - They would only allow £30-5- to be deducted from their account. It was thought advisable to pay and have done with it. Passage money for Immigrants by Weymouth had to be paid. The 10 per cent Fee under the Native Lands Act for the Hikatoto and Papakura Lease £100 advanced to Tareha to pay Peacock's account, Etc. I find we have nothing coming from the Customs this month - Catchpool has no instructions to pay us our usual quota. Will you try and see if Catchpool cannot be directed by the next opportunity to pay us as usual - for without the House authorizes the stoppage of the Provincial shares of this Revenue I do not know how the General Government can prevent it being paid to us. We have about £1100 to receive on the 6th. proxo. for the sale of land at Porangahau and Potutu. I do not think we shall get many purchasers for the Waihua most persons in the Province seem to have expended their available capital, and cer-tainly this time of the year is worst for the disposal of such a Block, but I think as soon as we are in a position to lease the Runs we shall get quit of it. The only available land I think which would sell well, is the Nuhaka. Have you yet decided about its mode of disposal? The purchased portion of the Hikototo Block is advertised for the 29th. August. Rhodes writes by this opportunity to enquire under what act you are empowered to sell without a Provincial act for the purpose, as Wilson has demurred to its legality without one. We have indifferent news from Poverty Bay what a pity to disband Hawkes Bay Volunteers at this moment. Believe me Yours very truly, J. C. Lambton Carter. P. S. I dare say I shall be able to arrange with Brandon about a temporary overdraft if we cannot get the customs still the requirements will be pretty heavy next month as the timber for the Ngarororo Bridge has arrived and between £1400 - £500 will be required to pay for it. I am glad to see you gave George Graham something he could not digest.