Napier August 14th. /66 My dear McLean, I have received yours about advancing £20 to Mr. Dyers for certain purposes. I am glad to hear that the annexation question progresses satisfactorily tho I understand you were pretty nearly circumvented by a ruse of our opponents getting some Natives to question the validity of the signatures of those who signed the petition. I hope we are not going to lose our usual share of the Customs Revenue as I see by Jollie's statement is propesed by his Government will Stafford really resign the reins should the House refuse to meet his views in this matter. We have got on financially this month better than I expected tho Weber has taken more than usual, to enable him to discharge several of the men on the road. We are not more than £100 or so at present indebted to the Bank or the ordinary account the Land Purchase a/c is a little over £2700. As we cannot see how we can pay this by Sept. 30 the Bank has been asked to extend the time of its liquidation to the 21st. December. In absence of customs we have nothing to go on with except what we expect from the proceeds of the sale of Land at Havelock and Waihua this month - the latter will not sell now. You will have heard from Rhodes that it has been necessary to defer the sale of the purchased portion of the Hikatoto Block. Wilson says an act must first be passed by the P.C. authorizing its sale. What a nuisance if every purchase of land you make in this manner necessitates an act for you to sell it. Can you not get the Native Land Act amended so as to allow Provincial Government to purchase and sell under the old system even tho the title of the land had to be investiagated first by the Courts. I have not any land to advertize except 5/- land and that is not to any great extent. The Country is beginning to look greeen there is therefore some hope for the sheep Farmers recovering their losses. There is no local news of any importance. Believe me, Yours very truly, J.C. Lambton Carter.