Paparaumu Waikato August 8th. 1854. Dear Sir, I hope you will excuse my troubling you and presuming to interfere in your official duties, my knowledge of the character of the natives and fearing you may be misled by them in lands offered to you and give you ultimate trouble has prompted me to this step and will I think be deemed by you a sufficient excuse. Since on my return home I have heard that you have been offered blocks of land at Wangamarino and Maramarua a continuation of one extensive swamp, the major part utterly useless to Europeans, also a piece called Wairere and Te Pu Onetea nearly opposite to my residence which I firmly believe the offering party has no claim whatever to; it belonging to the Ngatipou who will obstinately oppose the sale it is a very small piece having a frontage of only about a quarter of a mile and equally insignificant in in depth from the boundaries of the Govt. land adjoining. May I presume to offer my advice which is not to make any payment till you or some person authorised by you has seen the block and the boundaries defined. I n again tendering an apology believe me My dear Sir, Yours very truly, C. Marshall. D. McLean Esq.