New Plymouth May 20th/73 My Dear Sir Information was received yesterday from Mr. Alexander who went to Ngatimaru but as it was strictly private to Charles Brown I could not mention it in my official report. He informed Brown that he had found gold and sent for some things necessary to test it, with a strict injunction to keep it secret. I could not imagine what was keeping him so long as he, on leaving, said he should return in a fortnight. He appeared to be a respectable and intelligent person - I need not say what an impetus the discovery of a payable gold field in such a locality would be to this place. I do hope you will induce your Government to sanction the furtherance of public works in that part. That is the roads referred to in my official letter and the survey of the land. I truly sympathise with you in the matter of the Waikato tragedy, and hope you will succeed in settling the matter without war. Things are looking well at the present time here, but no you know requires patience and forbearance. Yours ever faithfully Robert Parris.