Auckland 19th Mar. 75 My dear McLean, We expect to leave today per Mikado, very full ship, but we have got a cabin to ourselves. It will seem rather ungracious that my last note written in N. Zd. should be a ''begging letter'', but I have been requested to try to influence the Govt. in behalf of two or three old official and other friends. 1st. Henry Halse. He is very anxious to get an additl. £100 a year while he remains in the service, that it may increase his retiring pension. He has been an honest and hard working public servant, an old Colonist, has done the State good service by presenting it with about a dozen sons and daughters. 2nd. Collins, Luckies late partner worked very hard for our party for some years, and his exertions combined with Luckies did much to break up the mischevous Nelson Clique, which did so much harm. He is now in bad health, and incapable of severe work; but equal to Govt. Clerks work and is a very good office man and book keeper. He is not ambitious or greedy, but hopes he may get some small berth to enable him to stand on his legs a while. His domestic circumstances have been unhappy and I believe he is a really deserving fellow. He is perfectly steady and trustworthy. 3rd. Luckie himself thinks he has not been ''lucky'', but very much the contrary, has lost money and chances by leaving Nelson to oblige Vogel and serve the party etc. and would like a Govt. berth. He is sore about the Inspectorship of Stamps, which was refused him on ground that it must be given to a lawyer, but has been given to a man who is not one. You can exercise your own judgement on his case. He did work very hard for us at Nelson, and fought big fights in our behalf, electoral and otherwise. I wrote more fully on other matters, and left my note at your house in Willis S. will only say once more good bye and good fortune to you, Yours faithfully, Willm. Fox