9 August 1864 Glenorchy My dear Donald I am happy to tell you we are all quite well up here. They are gathering the sheep for docking yesterday and today and if the weather is fine will commence tommorrow. I went down last mail day to send you some money from accomodation house and I got a cheque for £6.0.0 on Union Bank of Peter Walkers which I now inclose being to late last time. I looked over the book and found that the house has been drawing £2 per week since it was commenced up to the first of August. All but a few shillings, the amount on book to that date was £31.12. This makes £16. I have gaven you Baker £2, Alexander 2/ John paid a man painting £1. In all I received or went through my hands £21.1.6. He has a few pounds for change and the rest is not paid up but it is all good I believe. A sergeant of the name of McCarty was to pay your clerk 8/-. John told me that he told him to do so. You see on the whole it has not done so bad and it has saved nearly that amount otherwise John is satisfied now that Alexr has left there with his friends and will go on all well again and I hope he will not trouble him again in the same way. The amount drawn in the four worst months in the year has nearly paid for all the furnishings so that the other 8 months ought to pay the man's wages and part of the provisions for house and station. I have gaven you all the necessary a/c of things in general now. My heart was so full the night I heard of poor Uncle's death that I could not but write you all my mind on different subjects but I feared you would take things to heart and neglect your duty otherwise and I wished I had not sent it however I have no one ealse to unbosom my mind to on those subjects but you and it was a reliefe when once of my mind. I hope you will soon have done with Councel affairs and that every thing will be to your satisfaction. I must tell you that I was very much greaved at the notice you took of that Miss Rye but I hope you will not bother your head much with her as it is not at all like a man holding your position to take up with everyone [crossed out] characters of that discription. You were long and many a day in New Zealand and never was brought before the publice before in disp..... manner [crossed out] such a way and I feel very much hurt at it, altho you were doing all for good no doubt. Of course the Times has made a handle of it having nothing ealse to say but it would have been better it was not left in their power. I do not see what great good she can do for she must have been a bold woman before she would undertake such a mission. I blame Kate for her ever bringing her to the ho[u]se. It was all very well to have her call on busness but not to make so much of her before people new what she was altho I am up here I am always on the look out and I cannot bear to hear any thing said about you but what you can spurn at. Your speech was first rate all but that, however it is over now and there is no use of speaking about it. I should not have written you about her but I hear she is still in Napier and hope you will not trouble yourself to much with her affairs. You can get plenty of respectable people out otherwise and with less responsibility. I must now tell you that I hope you will come up for a week after the Councel is over and have a look at your own affairs for a while. I am plowing a little up here for grass and I have been at Alexander to send some of his men out with grass on the other run. He said he would for he was pleased to see how the grass was doing here. I have sowen a good deal of the cow grass allong the gullies and [edge?] of swamps. The pheasants have left where I put them and the cock was seen up at Mason's but I hope they will breed. I did my best with them. The Guinea fowls I put out have also wandered away from the place but no doubt they will increase. Please drope me a few lines and inclose a receipt for £11. The last five and this six so as to keep things correct and not forgotten as you have so much to do. No more till the next. Your affectionate brother Archibald John McLean