Wallingford May 3rd. 1865 My dear McLean, Yours by the mail is come to hand and sincerely glad am I to hear from you such good accounts of your own restoration to health and the success that is attending your exertions with the Natives. I consider that the check the Hau Haus have received at Wairoa has saved a large and very important district from becominghostile and aggressive to us as a Province and Govt. interests generally. If Turanga can be preserved also from assuming a hostile attitude, the Govt. may thank you for keeping off their hands the most populous Native district in the Island. I see Scully has arrived with the Military Settlers how disgustingly mean of these Auckland people to begrudge us help at such a juncture. Your meeting with the Chiefs the other day seems to have gone off well, you are to have another and more general meeting soon I see. The Natives here, Porangahau etc. expect sufficient notice toattend the next meeting at least so they tell me. From what I can gather Karaitiana is very frightened indeed - he has a large following still. You may say that all the Natived south of Ngarororo are on his side, excepting Te Hapuku's people and a few at Patangata. So little Michael has resigned Council. It is just as well he was a troublesome little beggar. You will have to get some of the mercantile people to come forward. Newton for one. Would not old Begg stand, or Kinross. Perhaps John A. will keep on if his resignation has never been gazetted/Now that that precious road of his is done he will be less vicious than he was last session. The Writs for the vacant seats ought to issue as soon as you can arrange for their being filled. How about the Council meeting - would the first week in June do for that - the Assembly cannot be called for a much late date than that, and it would give us plenty of time to get ready. If you think that time will do - the notice ought soon to issue - the Law requires certain notice and it is always better to give more than is required if possible I will think over the Land Regulations - we have already agreed on the general basis all that is wanted now are Resolutions embodying them for the Council's approval - the same to go to the Assembly to be legalized. You say Weld grumbles at the expense of our defence preparations - if I were you I would put it to him, what is the saying so the Colony as compared with what would have been the case had no exertions been used to save Wairoa and Poverty Bay from drifting into rebellion. I am sorry to hear Cooper is turning lazy - he is generally willing enough, but useless unless to carry out instructions. The fact is he is a child and always will be. It wd. be no lossto us if Mantell chose to make him under Native secretary. About my getting away from here I expect in another fortnight I will be able to leave. What with the Approaching Assembly meeting and what not, I shall probably be a considerable time absent, so I want to leave things in train as far as possible. Mr. Ormond is rather alarmed at the sickness among the children in Napier but now the winter is so close that will disappear, I hope with the filling up of the Swamps by rain. Could you not complete the lease of the Native land at the Big Bush etc. If you could it wd. be well to start Weber to work to lay it out - or perhaps it wd. be best to complete the lease and let the Council have a voice in the manner in which it shall be disposed of. Thanks for speaking to old Herewanu about the piece of country I want from him. He will likely be at Napier when I come down. I have nothing else to tell you and hope to hear as good accounts of you next week as this. Always Yours sincerely, J. D. Ormond. What answer has been sent to your request to be furnished with the policy Govt. wish to be pursued towards the Hau Haus. None I expect - I was writing Mantell and told him I expected (I was writing Mantell and told him I expected) they wd. shirk it as long as they could. J. D. O. Please tell Lambert I have not time tonight to write him but that of course he will make here on his way to enrol Porangahau Militia. J. D. O.