Ohineriha, July 15th 1860 My dear McLean, Many thanks for your notifying the proclamation of this Block as open for sale. I shall take advantage of your information and have warned the others in the BBighbourhood on the subject. I have not much to buy in this block the best of my run being in the South Porongahau Block. I was thinking of writing to you to tell you of the discovery of some gold by a native in this district - his name is Kemp and he lives at the Hapuku's pah - he got the said gold whilst on his return from Wanganui where he has been on a visit - he found six pieces - one the largest weighed down 2 sovereigns the smallest weighed down 1/2 a sovereign - the other pieces about a pound or thirty shillings. Of course no one knows where he found it - he says I hear Rangitikei- the Natives think it was near Puhetai - I have seen the gold and believe wherever it was found there will be plenty more - if you have an opportunity perhaps you might take the trouble to enquire whether it is of interest to this province or not. If at Rangitikei he has only to claim to get the reward of £500 offered by the W. P. Council, and that the natives say is all he wants, a nice state of things we shd. have here for a time if such a thing were really to turn up, I heard from Eyre yesterday you will be glad to hear that he has got an advancement - he is now Acting Govr. in Chief of the ''Leeward Islands'' with a salary of £3000 and allowance and contengencies £1200 extra - this is a good lift for him is it not - he writes me that the person he was appointed to relieve has gone home on 12 months leave with no intention of returning, his time being out, so that Eyre believes he will confirmed. Goodnight. Always sincerely yours J. D. Ormond