Wallingford April 2nd/65 My dear McLean Your hand-writing apprized me that you are back again at Napier. What a sell that unfortunate boy not coming to New Zealand after all, is, to all those who have been engaged in preparing for him. My own opinion is that as the country I belong to (N.Z.) will save, say £200,000 (which she wd. have wasted if he had come) that his non-coming in such times as these is a special interprovision of providence. Poor Stafford will have no chance of his Knighthood after all - unless indeed they reward him for what he wd. have done had the fates been propitious I purpose coming down next week for a day or so having some pressing business to attend to - The only point in yours that needs any reply is re - That blessed, or cursed, whichever you like, Telegraph Station - I shd. advise you to reply to the P. C. Members applying to you - That you cannot authorize the expenditure required for the Waipawa Station or guarrantee the expenses thereof without special vote of the Prov. Council, if you like to add a line or two expressing your opinion that Waipawa has not been fairly considered you will save yourself from general abuse by the inland public - I dont mean to let this Question drop I shall have a go at Mr. J. Hull in the Assembly on this Telegraph question - the the absurd part of it all is that Gussey started it to give himself a footing to oppose me as M.H.R. for Clive in case of a dissolution. The Telegraph question has turned out Trumps for me so far as the people he was wishing to act upon are concerned - I need not write more as I shall see you so soon. Always, Yours very truly, J. D. Ormond