Stapleton, Coromandel, April 12, 1860. My dear Friend, It was with much pleasure that I heard from Pita last eavening that you had arrived at Auckland and trust that your health has been perfectly restored by this time may the Lord keep you in health and give you strength for your work for which he has raised you up and make you a blessing to the poor deluded natives it is a time when much patience and judgement is needful in the management of Native affairs things are very dark at present what may be the end we know not as yet but I doubt not but that all will in the end work together for good both to natives and to the white population as ''God ruleth both amongst the armies of Heaven and also amongst the inhabitants of the Earth''. Yesterday before I knew that you had returned I wrote a letter to the Native Secretaries office stating as near as I could the native feeling here on one subject I fear that there will be before long a misunderstanding which I have in that letter pointed out as also the only way to prevent it I should not have touched on that subject but I consider that if I had not and any disturbance had taken place I should then have been blamed both by the Government and the white population of this place but having done so I am free from all blame should anything unpleasant take place which I am sure will if some step is not taken to prevent it and that immediately. I should feel much obliged if you would see what sum of money I drew for the purchase of Land when I saw you last in Feby. last year I have mislaid my paper please to send it me by the return of Horopeta as I want to make up my returns as soon as possible. With regard to the purchase of land in this district therehas been a block offered last Jany. it contains at least 30000 acres the natives represent it as level and rich good land it runs from Castle rock to Whitianga my son and my son in law Mr.Spires were up on Castle rock last week end they had a splendid view of the whole and they confirm the report of the natives but say that it is heavyly wooded I wrote to the office about it in Jany. last but have not as yet had any answer the natives will soon get careless about the sale if it is so long delayed there is not any dispute about the ownership of it I trust that I shall soon hear on the subject. Please to excuse haste and believe me to remain Yours very truly, James Preece. D. McLean, Esqr., Auckland.