will rise labour and God knows it is high enough now. We have had very bad weather here the most of this month. Heavey rains and floods. It has kept us 6 days idle with the plow. We are again commenced and I hope we will have a spale of fine weather so as to get our wheat and grass seed in. We have sowed a good pack of seed in the padock and it is coming up very well. I hope we will have the most if it under grass the Spring. I have sowen some on the hills and it is up and looking well. The Maories they say are getting somewhat troublesome among some of the settlers but they have been quite with us ever since I was speaking to them. Renitta [Renata] was here the other day wanting payment for bush but I told him we were not ...ling their now that Oliver and Ormond was getting timber from there at preasant. They went and stoped them but told me if I wanted any I could go and take it. I here that they have petitioned the Gov. to let you come down here and send more troops down. The troops will do good to the place as it will rise the price of meat. I hope and trust you will come down to see what is best to be done. Poor Catherine is