No 61/453/ Crown Lands Office, Wellington 28th Decr. 1861 Dear Sir, Hearing that you arrived here yesterday, I take the earliest opportunity of informing you that I have been associated with you by His Honor the Superintendent to take evidence on a charge made against Mr. Searancke by certain Porirua Natives in pursuance of authority specially vested in the Superintendent on that behalf by the General Government. I enclose a copy of His Honor's letter to me; and in thus putting myself in communication with you desire to add, that I should be glad to learn from you, so soon as convenient, when it would suit your arrangements to enter upon the enquiry. I may state that I have a good deal of work before me, this season, as Crown Lands Commissioner both on the East and West Coast and that I have made arrangements to leave Wellington early in January; in the meantime I have a week or ten days interval during which, if it suited you, it would be convenient to my arrangements to enter upon this case. At the same time knowing the importance of your present mission and the value of your time, I will if necessary, modify my arrangements so as to tally with yours. I shall be in town on Monday, at my office; where I should be happy to see you if convenient; or I would wait on you on that day at any time or place that might suit you better. I would at such interview take the same opportunity of indicating to you particulars relative to some of the cases of disputed Native boundaries that await your decision. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient Servant, William Fitzherbert Crown Lands Commissioner