Wallingford January 24th - 1876 My dear McLean, Yours of the 15th only reached me on Saturday Strange to say we have not yet received the returns of the Maori East Coast Election - when I heard from Napier on Saturday the wires were still down between Napier and Gisborne. From the numbers polled by each candidate as shown by the returns received I should think Hotene ought to win. He will if Ngatiporou as a Tribe goes for him. Of course if Karaitiana gets a section of the Ngatiporou then he will get in. I only hope he may not - The other elections have been going very much against the Govt. lately. Grey will have a strong following from Auckland and Macandrew the same from Otago. Also I notice that a considerable number of the Abolitionists are not to be depended on as Govt. supporters. As far as I can judge there is little doubt the opposition will be strong enough to turn the Government out - but what then. They have no unity. I am glad to see you are enjoying the change at the Station - so have I, only the dreadful weather we have had lately, has interfered too much with out-door employment. I am a considerable loser by the wet, shall lose quite half of my grass seed crop, which was a very large one, also the other crops are all going to the bad, growing on the ground. It is fine today and I am hoping it will clear up - last evening we had a thunderstorm with tremendous heavy rain. I propose returning to Napier on the 1st of next month I should come earlier but the roads will not be fit to drive on before, and I have the family to take back to Napier. I suppose you will be moving also before long. Next month will I suppose bring Vogel back. He will find things very much altered from when he left. Hoping you are well and enjoying yourself. Yours always, J. D. Ormond