Waiapu August 13th. 1870. My dear McLean, Since my return from Turanga in the early part of last month from which place I wrote to you we have been complete prisoners here owing to the constant rains and the flooded state of the rivers. There has been no communication with Turanga for the last four weeks excepting by one vessel which brought a mail to Hick's Bay. It is a great nuisance this Waiapu river being so dangerous in Winter as but for it some sort of communication could generally be kept up. It has been unusually bad this winter and the travelling to the north as far as Makarouia is fearfully bad. Everything is quiet among the Natives. The Patea men express themselves much pleased with the treatment they have received. I had a visit from them yesterday, they brought a letter from old Iharaina asking me to meet him at Kawa Kawa. I mean to go the day after tomorrow if the weather and roads will allow. There are some differences among them which the old man wants settled. I fear there will be a little trouble yet arising out of the appropriation of the newly acquired Hau Hau land. I trust not and I shall do all I can to allay any irritation, but I still think that the suggestion I made to the late Government that a commission consisting of all the Chiefs under your supervision for the purpose of arranging permanently as to the division of the lands ceded by government would have been attended with better results than leaving it to be come a matter of dispute hereafter. Ropata is still hunting after te Kooti but I am afraid it is too much to expect that he will get him, The mail which was landed at Hick's Bay brought me the 2nd. and 3rd. Hansards. What a gloriously comprehensive scheme Mr. Vogel's speech unfolds. If adopted New Zealand may be able if the measures are carefully carried out soon to hold her head up among colonies. In spite of the opinion of Mr. Reader Wood and others of his stamp, I say that it exhibits more true statemanship than New Zealand has yet known and provides the only possible remedies for existing evils in roads and population I hope you will not forget the Germans for whom so much of Hawkes Bay and this Coast is adapted as well for general industry as for wine growing. I trust soon to be able to place a sum to your credit at the Bank. Had it not been for the expense attending the unfortunate necessity for sending my family to Napier and then old Mrs. Keast to England it would have been done longere this. My wife and young ones send their best love. Every yours J. H. Campbell.