Auckland 24 June 1859 My Dear Sir, As Smith asked me to write to I scribble a line although I have absolutely nothing to say. The news of the office, the late direct purchase move and all other information you must expect from him as I returned from Pakiri yesterday and am totally ignorant of all recent transactions. I traversed the boundaries of Waikere a were and got young McDonnell to do the survey which by this time is completed and I am only waiting to know the area in order to settle the price when I shall go down again to pay the money. I got on stunningly with the Natives and have laid a train for the acquisition of extensive blocks of very desirable land and am therefore in a good humour with myself. I do very well with the Provincial folks because the beggars are finding out that I am adding considerably to their purse strings by purchases which I have and am most likely to effect so much for that. I had a letter from Halse enclosing £50, which is a trifle out of the fire and Ritchie is at work scraping up odds and ends for me. I shall never be easy until I get quit of N.P. for ever. Heteraka of Raglan has been bothering a good deal about 42 acres of land at te mata and Richmond was I believe willing enough to buy it on principle but the loan fund was expended & he would not break through the rule laid down so I started off this morning to the Land Office and paid £21. and am going to write to say that he may have the land at cost price. I cannot afford to do much in this way but to a small extent I am prepared to go as it is doing good. I have had a great amount of letter writing today and am now scribbling this by the light of a farthing rush at Dickeys in Parnell and as I have really nothing to write about you will not be surprised at the brevity of this. By the way you got that Pakiri block at a ridiculously low price the Kauri alone is worth 20 times the sum paid by the Govt. McMillan has a saw mill at work there and will do well. I am under some vague impression that you stipulated with the natives for the price of Waikere a wera to be the same as that of Pakiri 6d an acre why I should think so I cannot say but it is worth more than twice that figure I suppose so long as I get it reasonable it will be all right. Do you want any good surveyors I can send you some good ones. When are you going to show us the light of your countenance again. Always yours faithfully, John Rogan I have no money to pay for this so you must charge it against the Kawhia Postage account.