15 Oct. 1870 My dear Vogel, I missed the opportunity of writing to you by the last mail. I cannot understand the cause of Lunas delay at Manukau there are men here waiting to go to their several parts at Taupo and the East Coast besides Light house stores and other matters to be attended to and the delay in getting them done is attended not anly with great inconvenience but very heavy expense. I could not form any idea of the Governors object in going to Waiuku unless he wanted food for a despatch to new Secretary of State. How are the Auckland elections likely to go I hope you will select a good quiet constituency where are we to place Gisborne Fox will have some trouble for not agreeing with Wellington members about railway. You will be amused when I say that the obstructionto Taupo line of telegraph is removed at a point where opposition has been manifested very strongly amused as you hear such reports so often but the fact is when you remove one difficulty another springs up which clearly convinces me that the contract system will not answer on Natives lands. I want to get to Hawkes Bay but am delayed by the work on hand. Yours sincerely, Donald McLean.