Wallingford, Decr. 13th, 1865. My dear McLean, I am in receipt of yours of the 11th. Thank you first for the kind expression of sympathy for us in our recent loss - we felt it very much at the time but constant occupation has brought us back to our usual way of life - I am very glad to hear from you that you have actually started the Manawatu road as you say I feel great interest in getting it open it is the greatest present want of the District. I note what you say about the soldiers, from it I gather that my letter of last week, like several others I wrote did not reach; I suppose, the man who attends to the mail in this neighbourhood must have made a mess of it last week. In case it does not reach you I must tell you again, that from your letter I gathered you were asking Col. Muloch for soldiers to open the Manawatu road, and that I came to the conclusion you had suddenly lost your senses. When I found it was only discharged soldiers you were going to employ I felt so relieved that I waived what objections I had. That will do about the soldiers. I am very glad indeed to hear the road is to actually taken in hand - I see what you say about land buying at Table Cape for small farms. What I want to get is an arrangement with the Banks by which advances can be obtained for land purchasing subject to repayment out of the land bought. This would remove my objection which is simply that we have no right to appropriate money to land purchasing which has been voted for other purposes by the P. Council. We must see if some arrangement of this kind cannot be effected. I am very glad to have such good accounts from you of the state of things on the East Coast. You are very vague in what you write about the Wairoa and the probability of fighting taking place there. I conclude that some of the fugitives from Poverty Bay have been stirring them up. Dont you very soon get into the Uriwera's Country behind the Wairoa? How will it be if you get into war with them? I heard from Gisborne by the Mail he tells me privately that the want of funds to carry on existing expenditure of the Govt. is getting daily more and more apparent and almost tells me that operations will have to cease ere long from absolute want of money to pay with. I merely mention this to you, in case of your having any large undertaking in prospect. What a great success the Wairoa land sale has been. We must see that we do what is fair by that District from which we have reaped, and shall reap such large sums - Of course I dont mean until the money is legitimately appropriated by vote - I see Barabbas has abandoned separation - You must look out the beggar will whip up all he knows. When the writs come I will make it a point to see or write to all the Inlanders who have votes and get them to go to Napier to record them. I began a letter for the Herald this afternoon but fear I shall not get it done in time for this post. Perhaps it will do better next - I should like to hit him hardest just at the time of the election - we must get up a succession of sensation articles about him at that time. Dont in the meantime lose any of your votes through too great security. Have you made sure of the Mohaka mob - those little knots of votes tell materially in the election - How about Petene Carter ought to be able to get them - Have you asked Featherstone to put on a working party at once on his side of the Manawatu road if not please see to it. We shant get the line cut through unless we work at both ends at once. Goodnight. Always yours sincerely, J. D. Ormond. I enclose you an impertinent letter, from Old Ferguson's brother - in reply to my semi-official -