Letter from William Fox, Principal Agent N.Z. Co. to the Honble, the Colonial Secretary, dated 24th. June 1850. relative to the employment of Mr. McLean. New Zealand Company's Office Wellington 24th. June 1850. Sir, Referring to your letter of the 22nd. inst., relative to the employment of Mr. McLean on certain negotiations for the purchase of Waste Lands; to the financial portion of which I have already replied, I have now the honor to request your attention to the following observations, - The requisition from myself, on which Mr. Mc Lean was employed, is contained in a correspondence with yourself, which commenced on the 7th. and terminated on the 24th. of September last, exactly nine months ago. On the 4th. December following, Mr. McLean not having commenced the negotiations referred to, I again had the honor to address you, pointing out the importance that they should be proceeded with while the Company's operations continued, and my authority to draw for money for such a purpose subsisted; which, however, I observed might not much longer be the case. It appears that no step was taken towards these negotiations, till the 30th. of April, more than 7 months from the date of my requisition, and 5 from the date of my subsequent letter above mentioned; nor was it till the receipt of your letter of the 22nd. current that I had any intimation of Mr. McLean having even then undertaken the duty. In the meantime the event which in December last I informed you I anticipated, has occurred. The time has arrived when I can no longer draw for funds applicable for the purchase of Waste Lands. If the Company should, as contemplated by its existing arrangements with the Home Government, have determined to wind up its affairs, it will, on the 5th. July next (10 days hence) cease, as regards all active operations, to exist. With reference to this fact, and looking to the instructions which I have received from the Court of Directors, I can no longer undertake to provide funds for the purchase of the Waste Lands, or the payment of allowances to the Commissioner employed in effecting it. I cannot announce this circumstance to the Local Government without expressing the great regret I feel that Mr. McLean was not sooner employed upon the exceedingly important negotiations referred to. The time which has been allowed to elapse subsequently to my requisition, and previously to his commening them, amounts to nearly a fifth part of the whole term allotted by the Home Government, to the Company, to renew its attempts to colonize these Islands. Had the districts in question been purchased, most important consequences might have resulted. At any period during those 7 months, I could, and would, have found funds for their purchase, to almost any amount. Should the Company's operations have ceased, it is probable that those districts which are of almost vital importance to the future welfare of this settlement, and Province, will remain for years in their present condition, - two of the finest fields for settlement that exist in New Zealand, lying waste and uncultivated, in the hands of an insignificant number of natives incapable of using them. My regret at the postponement of these negotiations, to a period when they have become useless, and must (as far as the Company is concerned at all events) be abandoned, I cannot sufficiently express. I have, however, the satisfaction of knowing that no effort has been omitted by me to urge them forward, and that my recorded letters to the Local Government of the dates referred to, contain ample evidence of the fact. I have the honor to be Sir, Your most obedient servant (Sighed) William Fox. Principal Agent of the N.Z. Company. To:- The Honble, The Colonial Secretary. The letter sent down to-day has not yet been written. As Mr. Fox now expressly declares his desire that negotiations on the part of the Company, should cease, - I suppose it is unnecessary to communicate to him anything in the previous letter, until compared with the present one. I therefore forward both to His Excellency. (Signed) A. Domett. June 20th. 1850. The delay in Mr. McLean's arrival was out of the power of this Government to forsee or prevent. But I cannot help thinking Mr. Fox may justly complain of part of the affair. (Signed) A.D.