Wallingford March 16th/69 My dear McLean, I had your note by the mail and have little to write of having seen you so lately. The Sturt with Richmond has no doubt gone straight to the East Coast - has there been any opportunity of letting Ngatiporous hear from either yourself or Ropata. I should be sorry to see these beasts bear off a Ngatiporou contingent in triumph. I enclose a paragraph that caught my eye in a late ''Weekly News'' Auckland paper. As you will gather that lying hound Stafford has written a letter to the Tarranaki Herald denying that he ever communicated Bishop Waiapu's telegram to the House - really the audacity of that man's lying is something wonderful. Try and get the Tarranaki paper it may be useful hereafter. About the Council Meeting it is too soon yet to fix a definite time - probably some time in May but this will be regulated by course of events over which we have no power - better write A'Deane you will give me ample notice as soon as you see your way to fix a time. I am glad to hear the Kuramu negotiation is going on all right. I thought at the time that the visit of Ngatiporou had something to do with the postponing the matter the other day. As soon as they are ready to go into the matter again I shall come down. I am anxious for the next Waikato news. Always, Yours faithfully, J. D. Ormond I found the Ram you so kindly have let me have here - on my return home. J. D. O.