Wallingford Feb. 13th/65 My dear McLean, I am very, very sorry to hear you have been suffering so much and that you are obliged to take a trip for change of air - I had hoped to have met you when down for the Races to have had a talk over many matters - I write you a few lines now in regard to Weber - When he was up here last time I had a long conversation with him about his office and our desire for him to retain it. You know the cause of his desire to leave and I told him that you wd. not allow any matter in connection with Fitzgerald to stand in the way of his remaining in his office - This you had authorised me to say - I told him further, that I wd. undertake that his other cause of grievance or rather the other cause of his desire to leave shd. be removed - That as he explained it to me, was - that with the staff at his disposal he was to do the work he was called on to do and to do it properly - This we must both admit to be the case - There are 2 surveyors and 1 Draughtsman provided for in the Estimate - He says he absolutely requires their services at his entire disposal to get the work in hand thro - At present he has no one but the Draughtsman - Locke being entirely employed upon native purchases and other work. I shd. in my executive capacity recommend that 2 surveyors be employed as long as they are required to finish up the work on hand - That Locke shd. for the future be attached to the Establishment for which he works 'Native Land Purchases' and that he shd. not be retained nominally on the list of the survey establishment and swell the appearance of number of people employed for whose employment no work can be shewn. With these understandings Weber is satisfied and desirous of retaining office - By the bye I have omitted one point - He wishes that when you want the services of any member doing works under his Department that the order shd. go thro' him as its head. This I told him you fully recognized the necessity of and that in Fitzgeralds case it was more accidental than otherwise. I feel quite sure that you will be glad to secure Weber on these conditions and that you will thank me for having (without putting you in any unpleasant position with regard to him) settled this matter for you - Of course in speaking to him I have been careful to say or do nothing that I believe you would not have said yourself - All the soreness about the Fitzgerald business is over and a few words from you will now settle the matter. I write in great haste Yours very sincerely J.D. Ormond I trust soon to hear that you are yourself again.