26th December 1859 My dear Sir, The hurry and bustle attending the arrival of the Hon. the Minister etc. etc. leaving me but little time for attending to private matters. I regret much to hear of your illness I presume a return of the old affair aggravated by worry and incessant fatigue, I eally do wonder that you do not take advantage of the present lull to make a trip home you would return with renewed health and spirits to enable you to encounter the many attacks on the Dept. By the bye I should tell you that I purpose defending myself from the lies and malice of this herring gutted apothecary, come what will of it I never was attacked this way before, and my temper gets rather worse as I get older. I am well satisfied with Mr. Weld, he is the first Gentleman I have met in the Province of Wellington. There can be but little doubt of the fate of the present Ministry, but I do feel assured that it will end for the best, and the shallow mouthing of the Wellington breadad and butter Politicians fully understood and appreciated. I trust to hear by next Mail that you are entirely recovered in health. Natives here are getting more excited generally in the Wairarapa Province. Yours very truly, in the most extreme haste, Will N. Searancke D. McLean Esqre.