Castle Point, 8th. Dec, 1852. My dear Sir, As I do not know whether it is your intention to negotiate with the Natives for the purchase of this block on your way to Ahuriri, or upon your return from thence, and as you may perhaps arrange about it on your way up now, I wish to say a few words to you with, reference to Mataikona. I regret that I failed to see you again before I left Wellington, and I should like to wait here for you, but ray own party is larger than I expected it to be, and I have determined upon going on rather than entail upon these good people here so much inconvenience at this busy season. The points which I wish if possible to be arranged are these three: 1st. the Natives wish to preserve the Caracca trees between Mataikona and the high conical rock about 2 miles on this side of it, but they do not want the pasture which I very much wish to have for cattle; indeed it will be hardly possible for me to keep my cattle from it, and I shall be glad if it can be so understood between us, that my cattle may run there; 2nd. there are a few White-Pine trees on this side of the River, (not on the Reserve) which the natives wish to keep, but without which, as they have reserved so much of the other bush, I shall have a difficulty in finding enough wood for my house; it will therefore be a great advantage to me if they can be induced without much difficulty to surrender this claim; 3rd. the best place for landing or shipping goods is at a short distance on the other side (the North side) of the River, at present on the reserve, but if they have to give a rightof road, as I imagine they will, along the sea-side, I shall have no difficulty on this head. I could probably arrange all these matters with the Natives myself without much difficulty, but I have preferred naming them to you, as the settlement of them by you will effectually remove any chance of dispute with them, which I shall always be anxious to avoid. This I hope will appaar to you a sufficient excuse for my this troubling you. I hope your journey thus far will be more agreable than mine has been; I was detained some days by floods at the Rua-Mahunga, and found much water in the bush near Mt. Collins, having had to swim my horses across both the rivers in the bush. Hoping to see you soon at Waipukurau, and for the further pleasure, if you will allow me to do so, of accompanying you on your return to Wellington, I remain, My dear Sir, Yours very faithfully, J. Valentine Smith.