Brooklands September 23rd. 1872. Dear McLean, I received your note, and feel much obliged to you for your kind attention to my nephew, a youngster I have never seen. He has been very well brought up, and I hope, will be a credit to his family - his father being dead. I have requested him to get leave and come down here, if only for a few days. I did not expect that the Opposition would have had the power to oust your party; but so it is. I am very glad you did not join, for I don't see how they are to get on by themselves in Native Affairs, notwithstanding the two Maori Members. Moorhouse is here, and I think will stand a fair chance but nothing more, The Patea people are strong and vulgar, and do not like the people of New Plymouth, so will like to put in a man of their own one Balance, a scurrilous Editor of a Wanganui paper. Yours very truly, (Signed) G. Cutfield.