17 April 1873 Maraekakaho My dear brother I received yours of the 24 March from Auckland and was happy to hear you were well. Trusting this will find you the same. Everything is doing well and looking well at present hear. Sheep in splendid condition, a little foot rot among the wethers. The ewes all sound as yet except a few on the wether run. There is not one run in the province clear of rot. If they onley would say so Condie can give a driving certificate and the most of the runholders can not do that we can keep it in bay without doing the sheep much harm but a great deal of trouble and work which allways amounts to extra expense but if we had the land diveded into ten thousand acres each run we could soon get clear of foot rot so as to take one run at time but when they are all mixed on their they are not easy mustered at once and as we have proved it to be contagious without divideing it will not be an easy matter to get clear of foot rot. I wish I had a few hours with you and I could explain matters better. I was in hopes you would have come down the cost so as to meet for a short time. As it happened I am much pleased at the friendley meeting you had with the King natives at Kawhia. It seems to me to be luckey to have opened up freindley correspondence with that tribe who has kept alof [?] for so maney years. The Hawkes Bay peopple are much pleased that it happened and then some says O its was not bad weather. McLean said it all right we will have a look at them and Fairchild says all right I will find my way their. Old Ropata the native that you allways spoke well of for the last tow mo[n]ths, he has called on several times but a fine old native if left his own way. He and I got verry freindley and he says he has tow homes now, one at Tahunapo and one on the plains. I said he must come oftener to se me and stop a week each time and I would do the same call on him. I gave him a colt. He said he would pay me when he sold land. I said no that is your horse and do not keep away from me. Come to see me. You are my friend. I can not explain all that old Ropata says but he is not pleased at the men that is renting to him take bribes and tell less. About tow months ago old Hapuka came one evening affter dark. I was having tea when I heard a rise about the creek. I went out and found it was a buggy and the old Hapuka. I went and met him and took him up to the house, had some sup[p]er, him and tow folowers. During the night he said you had old Ropata. You give him a horse. Where is mine. Your horse is in the Maraekakaho. If you want you shall have him. I have being doing all I could on the [pivoite?]. Old Paul and Ihaka is the same as usual affter all the bribes and temtation they had from other sources which you are aware of they are not so bad. I shall leave of of about native matters till I se you. I am glad you spent a night at Howick with the McLeans and saw some of their cattles. I should like to have a run up to Auckland and get a good colt for the season as he would require feeding during the winter and we have plenty of hay and oats and allso to have a look at the McLean's bulls and heifers. The Akitio cattle is doing well at the book. They improve the country. The lad Piripi is looking after them well. He is of great sevice in more ways than one. He explains all the native taulk. I understand him but not all the rest. What is Douglas about. I have not heard from him for a long time. If I mind well I wrote the last but I am not sure at present. He knows I hate writing and I should hear from him every mails should I not answer. I shall ocaisonialy. Hopeing you are all well and hear from you soon. Yours allways. In haste. Alex McLean PS. Tell Anabella that I shall send any number of turkeys this year but I am afraid I will not be abble to send much honey on acount of the wet season but I am getting one jar filled to send and allso some backon. A McLean