Wanganui 11th. July 1853. My dear McLean, By your letter to John I see I am sadly blamed for not writing, I plead guilty generally, but not on this last/occasion, for I had no idea you would have returned to Wellington, all here believed you would have gone from Ahuriri to Auckland by the East Coast without returning. I trust this change to the North is not to be permanent, should it be so, I sincerely expect to see you again in this life, but if the change be to your advantage I am not so selfish as to wish otherwise, but go when you will, you will always earry with you my best wishes for your welfare and happiness, and my grateful remembrance of all you have done for me and mine. Colin has written four or five letters since he left this and we were all gratified to see how well he expressed himself considering the opportunities he has had, he writes much more fluently than John, I am glad to see he is grateful to you for all you have done for him, and also to Mrs Strang for the kindness he received during his stay at Wellington. Let me know the amount of what you have advanced for him and I shall pay it to your agent in Wellington. Cameron and I are about to part company we have not had any quarrels, but his brother who lately married the daughter of the Minister of Terru a namesake of yours is coming out, with one of his sisters to settle here, and of course will go into partnership with him, the separation between him and I will not take place for some months. John and I will be glad to take your sheep if you do not send them to the Ahuriri or to join your flock with Lundy Grant. John Cameron will of course continue to take charge of Harrison's sheep which are the largest flock, my advice would be to collect your whole flock on your own station under one charge. I see the Governor goes home on leave, he will never return, he will carry with him the regrets of the most respectable of the settlers, and will have the satisfaction of knowing that he has left the Colony flourishing and prosperous, in a very different condition to what it was when he assumed the Government. For my own part I not only feel the loss in his public capacity but feel as if I had lost an old sincere friend. You will be astonished to hear after all the work other people have made about liberal institutions how very luke-warm they have been in the two districts (Rangitikei and Whanganui) only one hundred and ten have registered their names, Harrison and Willie Watt are proposed for the provincial Counsil and Featherston for the Legislative if he be eligible. They have not fixed on any other in the event of his not being so. This place is going ahead fast as Yank would say. We have four vessels in the river trading --- two for Melbourne, one for Sydney, and one for Wellington. Taylor and Watt have bought one of them (the Rosebud) for a thousand pounds to be delivered at Melbourne where Taylor goes after he has discharged and sold the William, he sold the last cargo of timber at Sydney for £2--26 per hundred bought home for ten sh. Remember me to Mrs. Strang and believe me ever Sincerely yours, M. Campbell. Do not say anything about Cameron and I parting as we do not wish it to be known till the term expires.