New Plymouth February 6 1862. My dear Sir I duly received your letter dated 9th. January and have applied for the vouchers for the sums mentioned by you as paid to Mrs. Huskins, and in reference to which she gave me the following explanation, viz. That the sum of £10.15 was the amount of your own private account for board and lodgings and the sum of £3.3.6 was Dr. Humphries account for Wine. For which I presume you do not require vouchers. I am sorry to inform you that I have met with a bad accident, having received a letter from Hikaka requesting me to meet him at Mokau and having sent 15 men to meet me at Turangi to escort me to Mokau, I started on the 15th. inst. to proceed thither. On arriving to within half a mile of Mimi as we were galloping down towards the river my horse fell with me, fractured my ribs and left me insensible on the ground. The Natives took me across the river to a hut, hut I was unconscious of my condition until the next morning. A Native was sent of to Mokau to report the accident, and the following Saturday morning, Hikaka, Motutapu, Tikaokao and Ngataua with 40 followers arrived at Mimi to see me. Some of the Mataitawa Natives also came to see me, and on the following Monday morning they made up a party of 20, made an Amo and took me into Town the same evening a distance of 25 miles. Whilst stretched out on the Amo, carried by men who twelve months ago, we were approaching by Sap and watching an opportunity to pull a trigger upon - who now are showing me every attention and kindness, The contrast I do assure had a very strong effect upon me. Hapurona came into Town with his Son last week, when some Europeans took an unwarrantable liberty with the latter by using a Kareao and marking him severely. Hapurona was very indignant and had recourse to rather violent language in the centre of the Town where he was soon nabbed and put into prison. As soon as I heard of the circumstance I bailed him out. He has taken offence and left Matarikoriko, and is now off to Waikato. We have no news of any interest here. It is become a monotonous hole enough to give a fellow the horrors. We are looking forward to Sir George's visit some time or other, but no one knows when - and in the meantime we are vegetating, not living. I use to get a letter from one of the Department but as C. Davis says the Department, is defunct I suppose I must not expect any more therefrom. It is currently reported that that individual is to have an appointment under the present Governor. If true I think it an insult to Governor Brown. Buller called upon me on his way to Auckland. He informed me you were thinking of leaving for England almost immediately. I wish you a pleasant voyage and the entire restoration of your health, hoping in about 2 years to see you again in New Zealand. Yours very truly and respectfully Robert Parris. D McLean Esq