Letter from Mrs. Wilson to Donald McLean Esq. dated 24th. October 1856 New Plymouth 24th. October 1856. My dear Son, Your old Mother feels that she did not deserve your last kind letter; for she too, well knows, how she has, of late, neglected not only her "Big Son", but many other friends. She finds it is of no use making rash promises, as they may be broken. But she do her best to "mend her ways" for the future; and now that I have got a nice English servant girl, I have no excuse for idleness. In the first place, could you not manage to get leave to come down and spend Christmas with us? We are expecting the "Duke" and Louisa about that time; and the "Don" will return with them to pay his visit to Wanganui. I need not add the real pleasure it would afford us to have you with us at that merry season. Do try what you can do, and let me know by return of the steamer what hope there is of our seeing you. I promise you full pardon for all sins, past and present, and future; and moreover, you shall have lots of Prickly Pears, figs, cherries, gooseberries, and strawberries; all of which promise a full harvest, about that time; and the "don" bids me add that there are still a few dozens of Amontillado, and Edinburgh ale in the sofa bin; to say nothing of a bottle or two of 80 year old Cyprus !! plenty of ducks in the pond, and pigs in the sty; so do let me sing I'll keep all these "until McLean comes up." You will be glad to hear that Pat is a little more quiet at present. No doubt his father will allow him a run after his annual visit to Newtonlees has been paid. Of, or from, the Simpsons, I never hear now. They have, as far as I can see, quite cast us off. I cannot help feeling their conduct, after all my anxiety about them. James Ritchie has written to Mrs. S. about the money you so kindly paid to Mr. Gilfillan, for her. She ought to be ashamed of herself, for not having settied that account long ago. I much fear she will never improve; and what is still worse, will prevent the children from doing so. Thank you for asking Mr. Shepherd about the Duguids. I always thought Gory was wrong, for had Mrs. S. been an acquaintance of theirs, I must have heard from some of them, of his being in New Zealand. I am not at all astonished to find that the Governor likes you, for you take good care, somehow or other, to make people like you, even when you destroy their by leaping over their garden fence, instead of going through their gate, like a well-behaved lad. And I am glad to find that you are obliged at last to give up some of your rambling life; and I hope you have, long before now, changed your quarters; for, as you say, £2.10/- a week is far too much to pay in these hard times. As to the old lady being cross, I am not astonished at that; nor do I, in truth, think she was too highly paid, when I call to mind the rummage must have made in the House !! The Kingdons told me some time ago that it was likely they would go to Auckland. Now they laugh at the idea. In some things they are a strange pair. Turton has made up his mind at last to go to Kawia. We are all sorry for it. We shall miss him very much here. His friends are determined to show him how highly he was valued amongst us, by raising a very handsome sum, to enable them to present him with some valuable remembrance of their affection and esteem. If we succeed in this, I feel sure you will allow me to put your name down towards it, for we still continue to reckon you as one of us, and an admirer of Turton's, you have always been. Many advised him to give up the Mission, for his Masters (or whatever you may call them) at Auckland and Sydney have behaved very ill to him. He had serious thoughts of doing so; but the thoughts of his large family, and the bad times for all farming operations, prevented him. But it is a shame to bury a man of his talents and abilities in such a place as Kawhia. What a delight it is to us to have the Whiteleys next door. They are such a cheerful set. We are just like one family. Mr. W. and the "Don" get on famously together. We all hope, with you, that Mr. Flight will not lose his situation. We cannot for one moment bring ourselves to believe that the Governor will allow such a set of mushrooms to displace all the old Officers, as Master Charlie Brown is just now trying to do. A few days ago he notified to Mr. Halse, Ritchie, Morrison, and Carrington, that their services would not be required after the 31st. of December. Most people think that his brain is turned. Sincerely do we wish that both he and his Council would turn themselves to the rightabout; for we are all heartily sick of them and their doings. Few things have annoyed your friends more than the disgraceful affair of Master Chilman and the few acres of Witana's swamp; and equally so with Charles Brown, for the part he took in the matter. His conduct in this business has done him a power of harm here. You will see by the papers that they are trying hard in the Council to bring it out in favour of Chilman; but everybody is sure they will not succeed. The fourth Committee is now appointed to try it; and no doubt it will fail, like all the others. A pretty set of rogues we have, to rule over us. It is pretty certain that Charles Brown will never get in again. Several are named for the Officers, but who will get it remains to be seen. In the mean time it looks as if the "Clique" are trying to make, and get into snug berths before the day of trial comes. Hence the reason for removing Flight, Halse, etc. Charles Brown, Redhead, Watt, and Paris, are named as the next Superintendents. Turton and Imlay were once talked of, but they at once put a stop to it; so that we remain with the first four mentioned. Of these, of course Paris would be the best; but goodness only knows what will ultimately become of poor New Plymouth. How truly did our good Sir George judge, when he said that we were too young to be a Province. But enough of such a set, let's to something we like better, Sir George Grey. I see the following is for sale. Will you get it for your old Mother, who will thankfully remit you for the damage, --- translated, with Introduction and notes by Chas. O.B. Davis. Published by Chapman, book-seller, Auckland. Mr. Flight told me the other day that he has been writing you a good long letter, with all the news. The Don says he will keep his until he hears more of the Chilman case. I beg you will take my invitation for Christmas with your most serious consideration; and act as you know you ought to do, and that is by coming; and you shall be further rewarded, besides what is alreatly mentioned, with one or two bottles of pickled garlic !! How! can you refuse after that? And still more inducement, --- Mr. Imlay's iron house will be up by that time, when we are to have a Fancy Dress Ball; Mr. Imlay finding the room and lights; the proceeds of the tickets to be spent on the roads. Tickets 10/- but no supper; that may go to the roads. Black to be allowed the use of one of the rooms for refreshments. Everybody pay for what they get. I have been scribbling away at such a rate that goodness knows what nonsense the old woman has penned. Since beginning this, we have seen the proceedings of our Council, and your letter to Wicksteed, and his answer. A capital letter, the old man writes. What a thousand pities it is, that he is such a fool to his own interests by paying so much of his time to the bottle. Had it not been for that abominable vice, he would have, without doubt, have been our "Chief"; and what a prime one he would have made. What a different Council New Plymouth would have had to guide her, and watch over her interests; no rogues like our present ones, would have dared to show their noses. Really our state just now is a fearful one. But Mr. Wilson is writing, and will be better able to show them up than I can; and I had better drop the subject, as I find my Spanish blood, with its mixture of Highland milk, (my nurse was a Highland woman), is getting rather too hot, as it always does when even a shadow of blame is cast upon my "Big Son"; and by such a set of yesterday's mushrooms, etc. "Ave Maria", as we Spaniards say, --- it is enough to make one crazy!!! We are all giving our little farewell parties to the Turtons. Gibson has grown a very fine lad. His father thinks of bringing him up to the Law. He goes to Kawhia with the family, as he will be of great use during the voyage; but will proceed to Auckland as soon as he sees them settled. They are all sorry to leave us, and we are doubly so at losing them. It was a fortunate thing for Turton that the "Society" did not ratify the purchase of that piece of ground from "Billings", as you may remember they threw it on his hands. He has now let it to Mr. Luthwait for £70 a year. This sum will aid him a good deal, this land being let, will cut off the road to the Mission Station. They will be obliged to go by the beach. All his cattle and farm implements sold at very good prices indeed. He has made me a parting gift of his Father's Prayer Book. It is a valuable edition, being beautifully illustrated, and you may suppose how highly I will prize it, being the gift of so kind a friend as I have always found him. He has also presented Mr. Wilson with a book, whose author was a relation of Don Pedro's, --- Dr. John Mason, of New York. I often hear from Miss Wicksteed. She always makes mention of my Son, well knowing that to be the right road to my good graces. She has met with the de Mole family, --- mother and sisters of the poor young man who died on his way to Sydney, and whose pretty-faced wife you may remember here. Miss W. speaks in very high terms of the old lady; but very sad ones of the young one. She appears to have turned out the worthless Gipsy I always thought her to be when here. The mother-in-law will not notice her. She did more harm to our little Society than years can remedy. Mrs. Govett continues to enjoy excellent health, and is the same dear old soul as ever. What a sad, sad death it was of poor Dr. Dorset. He had taken Nancy Webster to spend some time with him in Wellington. Poor girl, what a blow it must have been for her, as he died on board the steamer, where she must have been surrounded by only strangers. Report says he has died without a Will. This will be bad for the Websters, but I can hardly believe that he would have so neglected such an important duty, knowing, as he must have done, what a precarious life he held, having a heart complaint. I really think it sinful for any man to omit making his Will, even if he has but little to leave. I fancy I hear you exclaim, --- "Will that old mother of mine never let go her pen?" Well, I will have pity on you, and conclude with all kind of affectionate regard from Your old Mother, (Signed) H.A. Wilson. Please to remember that you did not even mention my grandson's name in your last; see that you do not omit it in future, --- or else, look out --- no garlic shall be pickled, --- but a good instead. We send this by Vickers, for we are rather doubtful of our Postmaster, he being one of the "clique" party. To:- Donald McLean Esq.