20 Dec 1860 Maraekakaho My dear brother I have not heard from you for a long time. It makes me uneasy but I hope you are well. We have fearfull bad weather hear since I wrote you last. We had not tow fine days since we comenced shearing. I have about 8 or 9 hundred to do but the weather so wet that I was obblidged to leave them till January when I hope the weather will take up. I am afraid the wooll will be a great deal lighter this year. The fleeces don't weigh near so heavey owing to the severe winter last year. The wooll is ready. What is to be done with it this year. I suppose it will go to Wellington. I have about 80 tons of hay and am afraid shall lose the most of the seed this wet weather. Three days rain now without stoping. The most of the hay is in good rucks [?]. In the hurey of my shearing I was summoned to atend the court at Napier for breaking the Native Land Purchase Ordinance. I went with the intension of admiting that the sheep were on native land sometimes and that it was impossible for me to keep them of as their was no natureall boundary between the native land and the land I depastured the sheep on.