George Town 1 March 1865 Tasmania My dear McLean, I was very glad to get your letter and since then I have to thank you for a Hawkes Bay almanack by which I see that your population is rapidly encreasing and that you are thriving in every way. Certainly the H. B. people were very wise when they chose a certain Highlander for their Superintendn. Harding has been here and I am very sorry to say that I have not seen him. I was at Launceston when he went to Hobart Town and from thence we came to a little place at the mouth of the Tamar for my wife's health from whence I now date my letter. Kermode writes me that Harding has been staying with him so that I hope he will have inspected the admirable arrangements for sheep washing and cleaning which Kermode has established at Mona Vale. When you see Harding pray say that I was very sorry not to have seen him and not to have shewn him any hospitality during his visit. I don't like any New Zealander to come here and depart without breaking bread in my house. I am very sorry to see that war is being renewed at the Waitotara and sincerely hope it may not cross over to you. Is it true that Featherstone, who denounced the Waitara purchase so fiercely, has ignored the rights of recognized proprietors? If so the complication in New Zealand affairs is indeed marvellous. A little while ago the Times correspondent proposed him (Featherston) as the successor of Grey and as the only man who could fish up New Zealand out of the Sea. You and our old friends the Maoris seem to be nearly the only people who act consistently, for I hear of strange alliances and antipathies. Among the latter I may observe that Grey's appointment brought such relief to Fox's mind that, after he heard it, he slept soundly for the first time for many months! Since then the mighty have fallen and the Fox's cunning seems to have failed him and he has succumbed to a subtler than himself. Very many thanks o you for the parliamentary papers which I read with very great interest notwithstanding the prolixity of the Minutes with which the Governor and his Ministers pelted each other. New Zealand affairs have still a fascination for me or I should hardly have waded through such a wordy correspondence. I am sincerely glad that Weld is now at the head of affairs and trust he may be able to extricate you from your difficulties of which the financial one is not the least important. My wife has profitted very much by the few days we have been here and joins me in saying kindest regards to you. When you retire from office try if you cannot come over here and have a holliday. A visit to Kermode would repay you in a penuniary point of view and I need not say how very welcome such a visit would be to your sincere friend T. Gore Browne