12th March, 1863. My dear McLean Will you come up next week and stay with me to see the races? I intended to have asked you at Napier, but you were off on Monday to the nomination, so I missed seeing you. Major Whitmore, Major Douglas and Harman are coming up. You must expect to be a little roughly put up in these quaky times but I know you won't mind that. At all events we can make you quite as comfortable as you and I were in old Morrison's dairy at Wairarapa in '55. You remember how the old fellow snored! If possible it wd. be a good thing for to send up Sergt. Major Scully and a couple of men to assist in keeping order on the Course. I have arranged with the Maoris to have some of their own people as Police. Are there any truncheons that could be lent to them? We shall have a very good meeting here, the entries are much better than at Napier as you will see by the papers. I shall expect you on Monday evening, or Tuesday at latest. We dine every day at 7, which will give you lots of time to come up in a day. All right up here - no news. Yours very sincerely G.S. Cooper