New Plymouth July 5, 1872 My Dear Sir My Son left yesterday for Auckland to join the Trigonometrical survey department - I said nothing to you about his salary having confidence that you do not expect him to work for nothing after serving four years and paying £100, to learn his profession, afterwards two years in the Provincial Survey at a nominal salary of about £75 a year, and subsequently two years assistant Surveyor and Draftsmen in Confiscated hands dept. with a salary of £150. Poor encouragement for loss of time and money in learning a profession. I was intending to have st arted today for Ngatimaru but the weather is so bad, heavy rain and flooded rivers I have to put off going till it clears up. If this purchase is settled amicably it will have a splendid effect on the Native question generally - I intend to take a surveyor (Skinner) with me and finish off if possible the boundaries. I find the amounts for advances of clothing to the Ngatimarus have been sent to Von Rotter from the Treasury for payment. This has put me to some inconvenience inasmuch as I had advancedsome of the money fully expecting the accounts would be sent back to me for settlement. Wishing you an easy session. Believe me My Dear Sir Yours ever faithfully Robert Parris,