New Plymouth 11th, September 1856. Thursday night. My dear McLean I wrote to you by an Overland Mail, on the Transfer of land to the Province, and the proposed junction of the Department with the Resident Magistrate's; which, by the way, is on the Civil list, and not a Provincial matter. The question was referred to a Committee, who made their Report to the Council to-day. The result was a decision of 5 to 3; which is not more favourable than I had anticipated; and I do trust, in justice to Mr. Flight, that will decide the Governor on still retaining the Office on the Civil List, and Mr. Flight in it; bearing in mind that this is a Province of and that the business they bring into the Courts for his and the decision of the Native Assessors, invariably gives satisfaction and confidence. The division on the question was so respectable as to lead to an observation from Mr. Watt, (who took the other side), that he and the four who voted with him, were not so wedded to the Report, (of which he was Chief framer), as to refuse any counter proposal. But the minority, (Cutfield, Paris, and Elliot), were not prepared with one; contenting themselves with a negative vote. Considering that three members of the majority are personally opposed to the Resident Magistrate; the Report, as carried, will find little acceptance here, and I trust it will be so received at Head-Quarters. The reasonings of the Reporters are curious. There is so much arrear in the Land Claims, and the Crown Lands Offices, that an assistant Commissioner, (name not known at present), must be appointed; and the Chief Commissioner, having already too much to do, is to have the Resident Magistracy thrust upon him. The combination of Offices is to economise the charges of the offices; yet to fill up the gap in the Land Claims Office, when the Commissioner is on his other duties in the Resident Magistrate's Court, an assistant Commissioner is to be retained. There was a Committee Meeting the other day, on Witana's claim; and the Summons to attend it was worded (studiously perhaps) as to preclude any direct statement on Mr. Chilman's counter claim. Witana told a straight-forward tale of the land in dispute not being his in the first instance, (as everyone knows); and of your having given it to him years afterwards as a piece of waste land, only of use to him for the raupo toi-toi growing there. He says he came to the Land Office one day, (in 1849 or 1850 he thinks), when there was a Land Meeting, during my agency of the New Zealand Company; and left his plan of the Reserve with you, to get me to have the swamp included; and as the map is still in the office, the statement is no doubt true, though I cannot charge my memory with it. The grand argument against the counter-claim is that Mr. Chilman is about the last white man in New Plymouth who would allow a claim of this kind to remain over 7 years. I understand there has been a regular row in the Council, as little Tommy King, (one of the supporters for Mr. Flight's removal) moring a vote of censure on you for your dealing with this land. Parris held out nobly for you, as I believe he always does, for right. The result I know not, for no one enters their Councils; and all we know is chiefly from the paper, which furnishes dressed-up reports. I understand, however, that Mr. Cutfield almost floored Chilman, when he asked him if he preferred a claim for this land, as he had done so for the rest of his property in New Plymouth. He gave no answer to this question, which much disconcerted him. Mr. Turton will go to Auckland by this occasion. I do not know why he did not do so last time. The steamer only came up this evening, and her stay depends on the weather, or rather, the Captain's views of it. I owe Rogan a letter, but am hurried beyond measure now. I must pay him off shortly. Remember me to him, and tell him to get married. I trust to you keeping my name quiet in this, and my previous letter, only on account of the malignant spirit of our Superintendent. There, it is taken at its worth, but here it can be felt by unfortunates in the Service, in countless ways. Sincerely yours (Signed) W. Halse. To:- Donald McLean Esq.