Wairarapa 17th Sept.1853 My dear Sir George, I am glad to be able to state that after a very obstinate resistance on the part of Ngatueri and his followers I have at last succeeded in getting a very fair block of land about 40,000 acres on the west side of the valley to the north of Burlings extending up to Waingaawa the river at Mr.Donalds Station. I am informed by several persons who have travelled over this part of the district that it is of fair average quality with the rest of Wairarapa that some of the slopes under the Tararua range are very fertile, there is abundance of wood and water convenient, and it has the advantage of proximity to the new line of road.