Napier August 18th /71 My dear McLean, I have nothing much to write you about and am very busy getting everything finished up here to leave whenever the Luna comes. The Nevada will probably be here tonight so that I shall not see Vogel as he passes. The steamer is expected about three o'clock in the morning and it is blowing a gale of wind. When he arrives it will take a few days to mature plans and arrange Finance so that I shall he down before the real business of the Session commences. I was glad to see by the division on Collins' motion about Telegraph that you had so good a majority - However you will find out little as to the real feeling of the House until the Finance comes on - it is there that the real tug of war will come - Maddock has shewn me this morning an arrangement he has made about part of your Run - He says the Natives would not lease and that nothing more could be got from them. It seemed to me, as he read it, rather a loose arrangement. I have nothing fresh from Ropata but expect to hear very shortly the weather has been very favorable up to yesterday when it came on cold again. The row between Maddock and Lord occupied the Benc today - There were two summonses one by Lord for assault the Bench fined Maddock ten shillings - The other was by Haddock to recover Whip or its value being the Whip he cut Lord's face with, and which Lord got possession of - The Bench awarded 5/s the value of the Whip and so ends that business, which as you may suppose has caused no end of commotion in this little place. In old Hapuku's affair I think we shall manage to secure his interests. It has given a lot of trouble. The old fellow is to be down tomorrow and I will get it fixed up somehow. The Bush purchase is I think finished as satisfactorily as could be expected but for that blackguard T. Russell there wd. have been no dissentient. We must now wire in to the other end and get that if possible. From what I can gather from Rangitane it will be a far less troublesome business than this has been. I had to fight very hard to keep sufficient money back on this end - Locke of course wanted to pay all and get done with it, but as it has been ended it is I think secure. I shall be ready early next week and I conclude Luna will be here - Stores and Col. Russell wait for Luna. Yours always J.D. Ormond