July 15th. 1870. My Dear McLean, I never can, and I never will forget the true and unwavering friendship which you have always shewn to me, and also to my son. I await some opportunity of proving in more than words, how truly I feel this. True friends are rare treasures, as the world goes, and I feel happy to think I have I am very much afflicted by the account of my son's health. He was seriously ill in the same way many years before, and was attended to by a Doctor now in Auckland, who brought him round, (Doctor Watling), and who probably remembers his case better than any one else. I therefore think it would be well for him to come up to Auckland by any of the steamers which may come; when there may be a prospect of a good passage; and perhaps the best thing would be, if the Doctor approves, for him to come home to Hokianga, where he can live at his ease and amuse himself for some time. This might give him a chance of recovery. I have also thought that perhaps a trip in one of the St. Francisco boats, as far as Honolulu, and a stay there for a month, might do him service. I have written to Doctor Watling to ask him what he thinks of this; and desired him to meet Dan on his arrival at Auckland. I hear that his case is serious, but shall hope for the best. But in his present state he would only be a trouble to you, and it would under all circumstances be best I think, that he should give up his place in your office, and return home, or go to some warm climate for the present. His illness was no doubt brought on by foolish over-exertion, and exposing himself in bad weather, to all sorts of hardships going to native Meetings, etc. I warned him often of the consequences; but young people will never believe these things until experience teaches them to their cost. I have written to the poor chap to-day; but as I do not know but he may have left Wellington before my letter gets there, I have directed it to your care, hoping that if he has left, you will be kind enough to send it after him. Gillies and Wood have, by their perverse, not to say treacherous conduct, made no friends here; and I am mistaken if Gillies does not find his present constituents out of temper on the subject at next election. Carleton, we see, has been making an idiot of himself, as usual. I still advise you, as I did in my last, to recommend some friend of yours, who has name or mark to come up here and canvass this District. He would, I think, be sure of success; but as the people in general won't vote for McLeod, if someone does not step in, it is possible after all that Carleton might be elected. Webster is going to write to you on the subject. Mr. Stafford wishes to bury and forget the ''wretched past''. It strikes me he rather wishes other people to forget it; but they remember the hand had in making it, and consequently give him no chance to make an equally wretched future. It would appear that the Grain growers of the Middle Island are looking for ''protection'', as they call it. As a general rule, I don't like the idea of protection, for many reasons, which I could easily recount; but in this particular instance my objections would be doubly strong. The concrete meaning of the matter appears to me to be that the great mass of the inhabitants of these Islands are to be forced to buy their bread from the Grain growers of the Middle Island at a higher price than they can get it elsewhere; that they are, in fact, to be taxed to bolster up an unprofitable occupation, for the particular benefit of a comparatively small number of individuals, merely to save them the trouble or loss of turning themselves and their capital to some other occupation which will pay; for surely the Middle Island growers do not mean to assert that the Middle Island, with all its vaunted capabilities, does not supply industry, not even wheat-growing. If it so, why then, let them tell the truth, come down a few steps, and acknowledge that what they require is to live as out pensioners on the rest of the Colonists, especially those of the North Island. For that appears to me the whole result. No commercial advantage to the country can arise; for what one party gains by protection, the other clearly loses. It is to rob fifty Peters - not to pay - but to pension one Paul. Protect on has often caused carelessness and negligence, to a degree more or less injurious, in the producers; and another consequence is, to turn, to a greater or less degree, existing commercial operations, into new channels; and which, should we be obliged, by some emergency, to fall back on, we might find it difficult to do. No country, in the state of things existing in the world, depends on itself for its own necessaries, not to mention luxuries; and if you can find one which does so to any considerable extent, you will find it is proportionately poor and uncivilised. When Carleton made the great Tea and Hot Coffee motion, I wonder that no Hon. Member did not add an amendment, that, at stated hours, a hot potato man might be let into the House. This, however, would not have suited Carleton, as there are some troublesome Irishmen in the Opposition; whose mouths would be effectually stopped by this means; which would, however, be a decided ''amendment''. I am still very weak, but am mending gradually, and continually at work. I hope in God my poor boy may recover, but am fearful on his account, and as sorely disappointed to think that the state of his health should debar him from all the advantages he was so likely to derive from your most kind patronage. I do think he would have turned out very useful by and bye, especially in the North, where he is so popular, and has such peculiar advantages. I hope soon to hear something of him, and shall be very anxious until I do. Hetaraka, hero of Raglan, wrote to me, chiefly about the robbery at Aotea. The tone of his letter was not at all that of a man anxious, or expecting an outbreak of a serious nature. In reference to the Waikato people, he says, - ''Kei te noho pai Nga Hauhau o Waikato''. I, as you know, don't believe much in any of that lot. This bit of information is the excuse for the prank. I am, my dear McLean, sincerely yours, (Signed) F.E. Maning.