Chatham Islands, 9th. February 1867. My dear Sir, I find that Mr. Tuke keeps you 'au Fait' with our movements, or else I would have written you oftener. We are all going on very well - 'black bob' included, who I will take care does not return. I keep the Prisoners well employed according to instructions. I have found both Tuke and Hamlin capital adjuncts and good fellows. I hope that you will be able to get Arthur Tuke to return, if Tuke Senior returns in March. Fynmore the new Sergeant turns out very well - quite a contrast to the other. One of the military settlers shot one of the Prisoners in a fit of d.t. last month. I gave him 3 mths. Imprisonement as a Civilian. It causedno excitement among the Prisoners. I thought it better to punish him civilly than to send him up and entail a lot of expense. I hope the Land Court will soon sit here - the clims are all gone to Fenton. Believe me Dear Mr. McLean, Yours very truly, W. E. Thomas.