Napier 14th July 1866 Donald McLean Esq. Wellington My Dear McLean I have just had the petroleum packed up ready for shipment per Lord Ashley and all the papers and Maorie letters of any importance or on general Government matters have been enclosed under cover to you at the club Wellington - Wilson has sent a number of the Leases for you and Ormond to sign and we can sign them duly on return. All the routine business of the office here is finished for the day and for this Mail - I have given Mrs. Venables and her family a passage to Canterbury and advanced her a trifle myself privately, as I had no public fund for such a purpose and she appeared to be destitute with four pleasing children - We have had plenty of wet at last and the place is rapidly becoming green once more and the last but not the least for the good Napier folks - the tanks are all full and the old man Symonds has a rest - Carter over estimated our balance at some 1200£ so we shall not have much money to play with for some time, but I see the Customs revenue was paid over to us as usual last month. Expecting lots of news from you per first opportunity. I am, Yours faithfully, Joseph Rhodes