2 March 1861 Maraekakaho My dear Donald It is now some time since I wrote you. I was always expecting to here from you and fully expecting to have you down here long ere this time. I am quite grieved at your not having come for there is many things I have to tell you about the way things have been doing here for the last half year that I will keep to myself till I see you. I need not tell you that I have stuck to doing all I could for the interest of of the place but at the same time I had many sore harts ever since you left here last and I will not say any more about it till we meet. I wrote John some time ago to see what was going on down his way but I have got no answer as yet. The gardin and poultry are doing very well but I have had but little time to look after them much being bussy building and making the place somewhat habitable. I now have much pleasure in informing you that since my wife and our sister has arrived that they have made a wonder ful alteration in the dwelling. Having expected Mr Strang up we made up a very comfortable room for him and you when you come and I built a nice little room to the end of the shed for myself and wife. Indeed you would be surprised the change for the better in the place in so short a time. If it will work here the same change in the inhabitants it will be well for the station that they have come in many ways. Their is three rooms now papered and I hope by the time you come down to have things comfortable for you and Mr Strang as I hope you will be here at the same time with little Douglas. Mr Strang was exceedingly kind to Mrs McLean and Catherine, indeed they never gave over speaking of him. They call him the dear old man so the lest thing we can do is to make him comfortable when he comes here. I have got a splendid breed of poultry that came out in the 'Wild Duck' that was gave in charge to my Catherine till she could get a brood from them. 2 Golden Phasant hens & cocks, 2 Game hens & cocks, 2 Silver hens & cocks and I have three hen sitting with their eggs and if they come out we will have the finest brood in the country. I now must tell some more news. I have been keep in the dark about all transactions regarding the sheep that are going to Otago. Any thing I hear it is from other people who know all about from Alexander but I am grieved and sorry to say that the vessel has not yet arrived which is most shameful on the part of your agents having written here & he was to be here on the 18th of last month and there has been men keep on to go with the sheep and the sheep kept down at Colenso's place all ready to put on board. It will be a sad loss of time and the sheep will be lambing in about 6 weeks more. Mr Thomas Condie is here and a very nice man. I requested of Alex for God's sake to take him with him to keep things correct for he is a most worthy man. He was not going to take him but I have prevailed on him to do so and when he is with him I will have some confidence in things going on better and more to your benefit than I fear they otherwise wood for Alex will never have any care about bills and expences. However I now trust he will take more care for his sister Catherine seems to have some controll over him. My dear Donald if you value your own interest I hope you will be here as soon as possible for it appears that the Maories are now going to leace their lands to Europeans. There is one man leaced a run from the Hapuka from our & Mason's boundary to Te Aute so that if it is going to be legal you ought to try and secure the planes if possible so that we could get time to padock the purchased land and get it in grass. I will not say any more at preasant. Soon hoping to hear of your coming down then you will see for yourself how things have been doing their. Catherine will be writing you soon. They both join me in love to you and little Douglas. Ever your affectionate brother Archibald John McLean