18 June 1861 Maraekakho My dear Donald I received your kind letter of the 9th inst inclosed in one to Catherine. I wrote you a long letter last week with all the news regarding the place and the number of people employed, the wages that those engaged by Alexander are getting. I do not properly know and therefore I could not say how much they are getting but depend uppon they are getting fully as much as any in the country and some of them not doing a great deal for it either. Depend upon that if economy can do I am doing my best and any little comfort that has been done to make the place comfortable has not cost much for it has been done mostly with my own hands. Only the sawing of the timber and that was done all for stores. Of course that is money but there is profit on it the way I charge I had to buy half a ton of flower which cost £12 since Alex left and I sent a ton of wheat to the mill a few days back and it is to be ground next week and when I send for it I will send over 2 tons more wheat. I think we ought to have of flower wheat what will do us all this year and more if we are allowed to economize as we are doing at preasant. I cannot tell you every thing till I see you then you will find my news of things and I am certain if they were adopted you would be some hundreds in pocket in the year and without that you never will make money nor will I have a chance to live with any comfort to myself or friends. Mr Stewart went to Otago with Alex. I was wishing him to stay here but he took him with him. Perhaps it was as well still I thought he would have answered here very well. As to improvements there is nothing doing only what is hereby necessary. I would like to divide the large paddock and as the stuff is split in the bush ready for doing so it would be highly necessary to divide it so as that we could grow seed in one of the divisions and keep the rams in the other and horse and bullocks to be handy to their work and to have a man always running after them. The man that was working in the bush is now in debt for provisions and the paddock could be divided at very little expence and if he goes away from Oliver's we may lose a few pounds without he works it out. He is working their now. Renita has stoped his getting any more timber out the bush but I think he will let us go on again when I see Alexander. It is the neighbours he has prevented getting timber. He has not prevented us as yet but we were not getting any lately. I had a note from Rich saying that the wethers only weighed 56lb and that he could not afford to gave more than 18/. I wrote in my last that he that he [crossed out] got 109. He says he is going to gave 18/ for them and wants another draft. I think he will be forced to gave 19/ or 20/ for them before long. I told him I could not sell any more till I heard from you as Alex was not at home. I think as money is scarce you had better sell 150 or 200. You see the lambing is pretty good. I am thankful to you for allowing me to pay Smith. There is not a penny I have received layed out for myself from you or Alex but what I will account for and show you how it has been spent. Please let me know by return of post if Alex is not at home what to do with letting Rich have more wethers. There is a gig and harness here. Catherine brought out a very hansome one. I will sell it to pay you or keep it for you to have when you will I hope come here. I will write you again soon or Catherine will write you. I got a nice small stove for £5.18 and it is a great comfort. I only wish you and Douglas was here for a while and you would see how such things are I have put a floor in the kitchen last week and I am making it something habitable to what it was. Catherine tells me that she will write you soon and wishes to be remembered to Douglas. The only thing she regrets not having brought with her is her spinning wheel and cards so that she could keep us all in stockings. Perhaps you might fall in with one in Auckland. A pound or two ought to get wheel and cards. We had all the horses mustered today and the old Maid and her filly and fold look very well. They all look well. Ever your affectionate brother Archibald John McLean