Gisborne Poverty Bay Sept. 18, 1872. N. Kelly, Esq. Wellington. Dear Sir, I have received your favor of the 9th. instant and beg to thank you for it. In reference to the petition presented by Ranohi, I knew nothing of it or him the Matawhero lands were sold to me by the natives who held them under a Crown Grant dated 25th. April 1871 having been awarded to them by the Commissioners who sat here in 1869; my deed has been registered for many months and part of the land cut up and sold for European settlement. We shall feel obliged if you will use your best endeavours to push on the Telegraph to here, also the road between here and Opotiki it is most important that the latter should be started at once as the summer is coming in, all our cattle could then go through that way. I sent a lot the other day round by East Cape. It would be a most beneficial thing for the district if the Constabulary who are at present stationed at Ormond could be removed some 10 or 15 miles further back, it would induce the opening up of more country and give a greater feeling of security to outsettlers. The Patutaki block should be settled by Europeans, it is a block of land ceded by the Natives to the Government in 1869, Mr. J.C. Richmond promised it to Ngatiporou but it has never yet been actually handed over to them. Do you think the Government would do anything in the way of Bridging the river here, it would not be an expensive work. By some want of attention on the part of the Auckland Post Office Officials our English Mail is invariably put up in the Napier bags so that it does not reach us for two or three weeks later. We have at present a fortnightly mail between here and Te Wairoa it might be made a weekly one. I trust we may soon see Mr. McLean in office again. I am Dear Sir, Yours truly, G.E. Read.