Auckland, 3 May /53. My Dear McLean, Two days ago I received your letter of the 11th ult. and was much disappointed to find you were not coming on your promised visit to Auckland at present. The Governor was also disappointed at your not arriving but I hope you will soon be able to gratify us both by making your appearance amongst us. I have a room all ready for you and when you arrive you will get a heartier welcome than I think you expect from a great many people here. There is a considerable public interest attached to your coming as many expect you would succeed in purchasing from the Natives some tracts of land much coveted and which others have failed to induce the Natives to part with. The new Land Purchase Regulations have given universal satisfaction and added a great impulse to the enterprising spirit of our Settlers now rapidly becoming men of property. Great projects are under consideration here by men well able to carry them out such as the establishment of Steamers between Manakau harbor and Sydney etc. We are shipping off large quantities of produce at very high prices and our trade with Sydney is now becoming in the opinion of the Merchants of that city a very important branch of their business. Your old friend Mr. Grahame is becoming is so rapidly rich that he is bothered about the subject of the investment of his wealth. I received your Port Manteau and will keep it safe till you come I am confident you will be much gratified with a visit to us, and therefore I would recommend you to make every effort to accomplish it. If Mr. Strang could come to we might have some jolly Scotch evenings together. Pray give him my best respects and say we (that is many Scotchmen who have heard of him but not seen him) will be glad to welcome him at Auckland. I have neglected to write to a number of your friends and mine in Wellington not from want of inclination but from want of leisure. I am much more occupied in writing on public business than I like and find very little time to indulge in the pleasures of private correspondence. I beg you will therefore excuse me as well as you can to them and give them my best respects - Such as Messrs. Waite Hickson Lyon and others. Now I must close with pressing on you the necessity of paying us a visit as soon as you can. I remain, Yours truly, A. Sinclair.