Auckland. May 13th. 1872. My dear Sir, I trust you will pardon me for the liberty which I am about to take in addressing you upon a subject with which I know you must be bored. It is a request that I have never made to anyone before in my life; and it is from dire necessity that I do so now, to you. I want you to increase my salary, and make it the same amount as that which Mr. Marsden Clarke is in receipt of, viz, - £220 per annum. You are no doubt aware that from the time I entered the Native office at Wellington, in August last, all the Maori work devolved upon me, until we left for Whanganui in January. I had also to translate several petitions for the House, besides interpreting on Committees. The whole of Mr. Young's time being occupied by his duties in the House, while Mr. Clarke was absent at Otaki, upon his return from there, he was ordered to the North. I shall probably have the same amount of work to perform this year. I also had a good deal of my time taken up in translating Native letters for Major Heaphy. The little which I have heretofore received from home has stopped, as you are aware; and I am not likely to obtain any assistance from that quarter for some years to come, unless something wonderful occurs. Permit me to ask you to excuse me for troubling you, and trusting that you will not consider what I have asked for, too much. I am, Dear Sir, Yours very faithfully, (Signed) Robert J. Bush. To:- Hon. D. MacLean. C.M.G. Auckland.