Wallingford Nov. 27th. 1867. My dear McLean, I have yours by the mail and see you are to have the arrangement of what I should think the only thing that wd. interest the Duke of Edinburgh in New Zealand viz. the New Zealanders. As for the demonstrations in the New Zealand Towns they will be almost farcical to me who is accustomed to see these things at home. I think your programme a very good one. The landing at Bay of Plenty and going from thence to Rotorua and if he cared for the long overland journey (which I don't expect he would) then on to Napier-perhaps the better way wd. be to cut out the overland trip from Rotorua to Napier via Taupo and confine the travelling to a trip to the Lakes from Tauranga. I should think a good Meeting if you could arrange it of Natives at Napier wd. be a good thing for Napier and as I said before the thing most worth seeing in New Zealand. I suppose you could gather together the East Coast Natives -our own and with the proposed submission of the Uriweras, that tribe also and perhaps the Taupo people - they wd. together make an imposing party - but then comes who is to pay for it? The £5000 the House voted will go a very short way towards meeting all the expenses that must be incurred in different places. If you cannot arrange a really good meeting of Natives at Napier then I doubt the advisability of pressing the Duke's coming here if you can then I should do so. Of course he wd. go by steamer from Napier to Wellington etc. On the whole with the ideas which have occurred to me and I have written I think the plan you proposed as good as could be devised. However I have no strong feelings of loyalty I suppose for I don't at all warm at the idea of seeing a live Prince. I wd. go farther to have a look at Carlyle to hear and see what like a man he is. Of very much more importance than the Prince is the desire of the Uriweras to be at peace with us, that is of real importance and I am very glad to hear that they have made overtures which you have accepted. As you say the centre of the country must be settled before we shall go ahead and the difficulties with the Uriwera were the main ones to be got over before Settlement could be successfully carried out. With them at peace with us there is no difficulty in the way of the settlement of the interior. Now for a word or two about Patea I see you have like myself been thinking about accupying some of that country and with pretty much the same object in view - viz. getting country to sell Stock with. You say you have made some engagements with people south to occupy with you. That need make no difference in what I propose. My object is going in there will be to secure a block for myself and as you say there is plenty for several people. But why I write to you before and now again for is - because I think if we made up our minds that we would take up country there that we should do so more successfully and at less cost by doing it conjointly. A Big rent for 2 or 3,00,000 acres might tempt the Natives, and four people could in this way get what we want at a cheaper rental than a single individual could. I should advise you in going in for Country there to do so in the same way as I propose to. Yourhave your Run and let your Southern friends have their work there, if you like together whilst it suits, but have your own to sell with 5 or 10,000 sheep the first good chance. I fancy in the way I propose you will see that we may still work together with advantage I should like you first to set the thing going with the Natives. Then as soon as the thing is opened I would go in to the country with your brother if you like and see what it is worth and make definite arrangements. I am of opinion that going like Duff and others have done and trying all at once to settle something definite with the Natives is all nonsense. It is not in that way that any holding worth having will be got. Write me what you think and by when we may be able to make a move into the country. I should not be afraid of the "big rental" if the country were big. It is extent that will be the only bait to a Southernes and they will be the only people to buy into that kind of country. At any rate I have quite made up my mind to have a go in for a slice there and we shall advantage each other by pulling together in the matter. I really see no prospect of getting rid of any sheep this year and where I am to put my increase of 8 or 9,000 sheep I am sure I cant tell. I have nothing for it but to go in for Country somewhere. I shall be ready to go to work as soon as you have felt the way with the Natives and will then do my share in selection of country and so on. I am busy just now shearing Hoggetts and Hay harvesting. The fearful winds have at last given over and we are now having dripping weather which is not very suitable for these two kinds of work. Good Night. It is very late, Yours always, J.D. Ormond. P.S. By the bye that cursed Telegraph question is still going on and I must take care what I am about in it. It will be used as a handle at the next Election for the Gen. Assembly. His Lordhsip is working the case of his Town like fun, and has got the Telegraph surveyor to report in favour of Waipukerau. I am going to address the Prov. Govt. and tell them that over 300 of the Electors and Residents in the Clive District are desirous of having the Station at Waipawa and that the opinion of such a body of the Inhabitants deserve the consideration of the local Govt. You will get my official by Cobb on Wednesday. J.D.O.