30 June 1872 Maraekakaho My dear brother I received your letter of the 6 from the Waikato and was glad to hear from you. It must have been tiresome to have been waiting their so long. I had wet we[a]ther going and comeing from Akitio but that run is improving fast and the stock looking well. Reid is a hard working man and everything seems to be in its place their. I like his young rams much. He will have a fair demand for them next year. He could have sold a good maney more if he had them. I like the place much if that fellow Emsdal was cleared out but I shall let you hear more when I se you. Hopeing that will be soon. This Maraekakaho is improveing fast. It will at present keep twice the number of stock and that well the fern is disapearing fast. If this run had 40 thousand sheep on it it would not be stocked & it will soon keep a sheep per acre. The grasseed that was sown this year is doing well but it has been a fine season for grass. The s[t]ock and sheep are looking well but we have a little foot rot on the wedder flock but it has not shown among the ewes on Natarua. The wet season has been much against foot rot when you have it but it will move of[f] by time. If the runs were more divided it would be a great help. The sheep runs sometimes to close at times in large lots but divisions would prevent that and still keep more sheep. If we have a dry year or tow foot rot would disapear hear and still we should not be short of grass for the number of sheep that I mentioned as the boundaries are prety well fenced. Everything is doing well hear. Mending and fencing at present. Paul and his wife is hear and no great troubble. A few comes to se him now and then. The natives hear a good maney of them don't believe in what Russell tells them but no doubt he is trying to do mischief in the province and all over the country. It is to be hoped he will be found out in his bad work. He might do mischief in outlaying places. Hopeing to se you soon. I shall say no more but I remain Your always Alexander McLean