Wellington 11 Jany. 1871 The.Hon Donald McLean, Auckland. Dear Sir, Since your departure from Wellington very exciting intelligence has reached us from the Waikato, with all of which you are no doubt well acquainted already. The Evening Post published an "extra" and came out next morning with a leading article to the effect that we were on the verge of another Native war, and that there was no force in the Country equal to the task of repelling attack and defending our outsettlements - Some one signing himself "Epammondus" took the matter up and pitched into the Post in a feeble kind of a way, but whoever the writeris he seems pretty well up in what has been going on during the past eighteen months. I enclose the "Article" and Letter in question for your perusal. There is a good deal of excitement going on just now about the Elections, Messrs. Borlase and Waring Taylor addressed the Electors last night in the Odd fellows' Hall. The former made a very lame speech and was not well received, but Waring Taylor spoke remarkably well and was listened to with great attention. The meeting refused altogether to hear Plimmer, the man who is bringing Richmond forward, he tried two or three times to address them but they hooted him down. A good many will vote for Richmond but the general opinion is that he will not be elected. Gillon has been addressing the Electors of the Wellington Country district, he has been asked by about 20 persons to stand, there are not many voters in the district but it is not at all likely that he will be elected. Most people appear to be well pleased at Dr. Featherstone's appointment, many look upon it as a death blow to Provincial Institutions, Waring Taylor said last evening that the General Government had robbed the Province of everything. I enclose a statement of Defence Expenditure up to the 30th of November, the average is about £11,600 a month, I have not been able to show the amount of expenditure in each month but will endeavour to do so in the course of a fortnight by which time I expect to get my books posted up to the end of December. A great number of Accounts have come in lately. Mr. Boughton and myself had as much as we could possibly get through for a few days. Mr.Morpeth's arrival however has enabled us to settle down into our proper places and the work is going on very satisfactorily. Curtis seemed disposed to be a little unpleasant about the Room in which your things are locked up, he wanted to keep the key and when I insisted upon his giving it up to me he said he might want to make up a bed in it sometimes, upon which I told him plainly I would remove everything into Booth's place the next day. He shortly afterwards brought me the key, but even now he says he never understood that I was to go in there whenever I thought proper to write. He has got one of the Judges staying in the house, I shall have to take the trunks with private papers into Booth's or my own place, and work at them whenever I can spare the time. I saw Mrs.Hart today, she was coming from Curtis'. She seemed in good spirits and was looking very well. She said she thought I was quite right in insisting upon having the key. I hope you have found things in Auckland not quite so bad as people here seem to think they are -Morpethtold me there was no excitement at all in Auckland about the news, we received here, of armed Hau haus being 6 miles from Alexandra. He says the farther you go away from Auckland the worse news you hear of native affairs. I suppose Mr.Douglas was very glad to see you, you must have taken him by surprise. I shall be glad to meet you at Napier whenever you are ready to go there, please inform me when the time comes and I shall be there. With best respects I remain, Dear Sir Your most obt.Servt. W.K. McLean