Wallingford, Novr. 15th, /65. My dear McLean, Many thanks for your letter from Poverty Bay I was anxious to hear how you were getting on. From what you write a brush at Turanga is inevitable and I quite agree that it is best to have it out whilst it can be done. God only knows what another session with a House with 14 additional Middle Island Members in it will do. I cant get over the line Stafford has taken in this East Coast settlement business. The natives are not punished in any way for their past misdeeds altho they are entirely at our mercy and wd. undoubtedly have acquiesced in a surrender of territory for purposes of settlement. If we had had Wild and Fitzgerald to deal with we should have had an infinitely more satisfactory settlement of things - old Russell wrote me again this mail that I should be satisfied with the Instructions that had been sent in reference to the East Coast - as those Instructions were in effect an adoption of our recommendations. The only recommendation adopted that I know of was the sending the Man of War and for that we may of course thank Grey - There is no confiscation - no Plan of Settlement - no nothing - How on earth have you managed to pacify our allies I should have feared that the effect of such action as freeing all their prisoners without punishment of any kind wd. have been very bad. I suppose the excitement of going to Poverty Bay helps you with them - I shall not write more as this will not find you at Napier - What about our Govt. leases for the Natives - Did you get the applications made to the Court. Have you asked for an early day to be fixed for the Court to hear them. Please see to this on return if you have been unable before to do so - we want the money - I hear from Williams Karaitiana will withdraw his opposition to the Manawatu road - if so pray start off either Locke or Fitzgerald at once to try and get it through this summer - If that road were through it would make a difference of £30,000 this year in the price of the sale of stock in the Province. It is public work of the Province that wants pushing on at any cost - I have given up the notion of a run at Manawatu I find the work here quite as much as I care about. I shall be very glad indeed when I can get down to the Plains to make my home. I am terribly tifedout shearing and all its attendant work is going on with me - Let me hear particulars of your Poverty Bay mission on your return. Always, Yours most sincerely, J.D. Ormond.