Warea Sept. 30th. 1855 (Sunday night) My dear Maclean. I have very much to apologize for my only now acknowleging your letter of the 22nd. instant and sending you my reply as enclosed herewith. You will see from the date of my large letter, accompanying this note that I went about complying with your request immediately after yours had come to hand, but unfortunately I was soon interrupted by a little accident. Having occasion to cut up some firewood in the course of that day a piece of it flew into my face and dealt me such a severe blow, that for some days I was unable to eat or speak or engage in anything like writing. Since I have got a little better I have done my best to get through, and unless the weather should prove bad a native has promised to go for me to town early tomorrow, by when I shall forward it. Thinking it tho perhaps not very probable that the accompanying letter might come under the eyes of others besides yourself I have confined myself in it entirely to the subject in reference to which it is written, reserving all familiar talk and expressions of our old mutual friendship to more private notes like this present. You will easily see my reason for this. I think that private friendships should not be rendered too conspicuous in the discussion of matter of public importance lest it should be judged of as interfering with strict impartiality; tho you yourself know, I believe, my private views concerning the land question full well and need not to be told again how very much and earnestly I wish for the sake of the natives themselves as well as for the sake of the peace and prosperity of the country at large --- that all the waste native lands would pass the sooner the better away from them into the hands and for the disposal the Government. I should very much like to see you and have once a korero again with you as in former days and years. Perhaps I go to town before you leave again, which I suppose you are not likely to do before His Excellency Gov. Browne shall have been here. Is he likely to come soon? I should like to have an opportunity of seeing him. Here at Warea all is much as usual Paora Kukutae is getting very old and infirm and is I think not likely to continue his earthly abode, many years longer. His son Tamaki died a full year ago. The Natives generally speaking are getting on fast in this district in worldly matters carts and working bullocks have become plenty among them during the last 12 months and a good cartroad has been finished between New Plymouth and Otamatua. Besides which there are two or three native stores for selling and buying goods now in Taranaki -one at Hauranga, another at Wareatea, a third at Puketaua, and a fourth at Te Umuroa --- the latter kept by Wiremu Matakatea My station here is still on the same spot as before when you was here last and we have to put up with a good many inconveniences; however, with time and patience we shall perhaps if spared arrive at better days and see ourselves placed more comfortably and conveniently than at the present moment. My dear wife and children (of whom I have now already three) are all well and hearty. The former desires to be kindly remembered to you. My own health has not been very good during the last year and a half; however, I am glad to say that I am tolerably well at this present moment. I must now hasten to conclude as it is getting late and allnmust be packed up and be in readiness for the bearer in the morning, and I remain, My dear Maclean, as ever, Yours affectionately, J.F. Riemenschneider. D. Maclean, Esq., N. Plymouth.