30 October 1857 Mariakako My dear brother I take the oportunity of writing you a few lines by young Rich who is going up to Auckland in a few days and bringing up fat sheep to market. I hope they will pay him well when he sells the sheep. He is to pay you one hundred and twelve pounds and the halfe of whatever proffits he may have from the sale of them. They are good sheep from Tuke's plain. It is an affair between him and myselfe. I had the sheep in yeasterday cutting and docking and I think their will be a fair average of lambs. We marked 702 seven hundred and seven and there is 100 to be marked next week besides 30 rams that I kept to pick out of come from Gollan 702 in all I brought 200 from Carter and three 300 from Abbot. Some of them has lambs and some will lamb shortley. I expect in March to have 12 or 14 hundred lambs. I am sending 700 to Domet's run tomorow. All the dry sheep Sheep and rams on the run so as the lambing will more regular hear next year on this station. We had more ewes lambs than wether lambs. We marked 382 ewes 325 W. I am hard up for labour at the present time. Domet's boy is quite useless and young Gasgoyne is not active. MacInnis I must send about his business. I have lost quite enough through his carelessnesss allready. I can not have him no longer. Let him go on his own hand for a while it may do him good. They all keep me in hot watter through the Nelson gold. Peopple hear are to independard down hear and we shall be hard up for labor this shearing but we must get through with it. I hope next year we will have plenty of labour. I have partley engaged Mr Danvers for three year and to take sheep in part payment of his wages at the rate of £60.0.0 per annum. John has been quite useless to me for the last four months. His brother has looked after the sheep. His wife has not been well and I had to keep six of them for one man's work work but I hope Gascoyne and a sheeperd will do the work next year. We will have a heavey clip of wooll this year. They are in fine condition. Peopple are mad hear buying runs and I hope you shall be alble to send money by Munn to secure some of your run a[s] I shall lay it out to the best advantage on the land. The place is full of sharks and you do not no your friend. I have bought some sheep for your friend and I have got another runn sinc you left that I must stock this year. I got the run from a young man of no means who wanted to go to the diggings and a good back run not far from Domet's and I have one or tow good applications, one of them and old one of your own not far from Mariakako and I am the first applicant. My dear brother I must conclude in saying I shall do all that lays in my power to forward your interest hear. I must thank you for the Power of Attorney you sent me. I shall take the first oportunity of sending to Melbourne. In haste I remain your ever affectionate brother Alexander McLean PS. In place of young Rich the old boy goes up with the wethers and he has been craving at me for some money for the rams. Please pay him £25.0.0 and the rest when I se him as it will have to be paid some day. Give no more. Get the money from him as you were to get from the son as the vessell is underway I have no more to say Dear brother. Yours in haste. A McLean