New Plymouth 3 June/62 Sincerely do I thank you my dear son for your kind and sympathising letter of the 6th. June, it comforts and to find that those we love feel for us. I know that I sometimes give way to my feelings - perhaps more than I ought to do - but at times it is very difficult to refrain I will try not to bother you with any more of my grumblings, for, if they are to be added to your having to pay postage!!! I may be done out of your valued and ever welcome letters, so I will go upon a very different tack for the future and tell you of lots of marriages about to take place in this little unfortunatee (though once happy) New Plymouth. Miss Humphries - Miss Smith - Miss Compton - Miss Knight - Miss Ward and Miss Black - the happy grooms as your Black William would say are Dr. Davis 57th. Captain Gorton 57th. Percy Smith - John Newland - Tom Humphries and his Brother Willie. So I think you will say that our young folks are not losing time - the coming Spring will be a gay time provided the Waikatos leave us quiet - but if it is true my old favorite Wm. King is on his way with 5000Waikatos the young Brides must look out, and try to prevent their husbands from joining the Militia - and still if we have another war we shall require a double force to what we did formerly, as our council with "Charlie" at their head have cut away a large portion of Mount Elliot and also of the "Pa" so that the best defence of the garrison is done away with - it is not possible to describe the real muddle matters have got into in poor New Plymouth, thanks to the rogues and would be wise heads in power!!! it cannot go much further - they are now on the brink of the precipice and over they must go, ere long. Sincerely do I hope they will break their heads, and if they please, their necks in the bargain. Now don't call me unfeeling one may laugh at their childish goings on, but it is really sad to think how they have nearly ruined this Province - no greater misfortune could have happened to us than to have such a set of ignorant men as our rulers - one of our wise councilmen talks of a "Three decker in full saillaying alongside of our Jetty"!!! another gets up and tells them not to talk of the as that is past and gone!!! then Charles Brown gets them to agree to his borrowing £25000 to build the Jetty and other Public Building! to cut down "Mount Elliot" to the level of high water mark! - and further to borrow £200,000!!! for the purpose of giving us full compensation for all our losses, with the understanding that those this compensated are to leave the Province - those who remain, and those who come after us, are to be taxed to pay the interest of the said loan and then in the midst of all these great matters the council deliberate a whole evening on the making of a law to prevent us keeping a few fowls!!! as the poor people say Colonel Carey sent away our wives and children but our wise council sends away our Cocks and Hens! in short there is no end to the follies of these "" - the Provincial Government has been our "curse" from the day that came into play, poor New Plymouth has been going down and no wonder when they elected an "Infidel" to reign over them, the following lines were written on that day and I think you will say that they have in a great measure come true, and (as things are going on now) seem to be steaming fast to the end. I have copied the lines upon a second bit of paper and I want to add a word more about yourself and my dear Grandson - in a note received today from Mrs. Brackenburg I was glad to hear that you do not intend leaving us until the winter is over so I hold in the hope that you will yet come this way once more, and if you were good for anything you would gratify me with a sight of dear Douglas - I have much to tell you about Patricio but as I said at the beginning that I would not grumble! I must leave it for another time - I feel much vexed with him - he has been very foolish and I fear he will repent what he has done before long - he has been a sad disappointment to us. What a sad loss the poor Murrays have had. God bless you is the earnest prayer of your old Mother H.A. Wilson. Remember us to Sir George.