Puketona, Bay of Islands, July 2nd, 1870 My dear Sir, Had I not been so much from home lately I should have answered before this your kind note in reference to Mr. Hopkins Clarkes removal, which gave me also the gratifying assurance of your approval of the manner in which my public duties have been conducted. Not quite so agreeable was a rumour which rather startled me the other day, the possibility that as Mr. Barstow had declined moving to Waikato I might receive notice to go!! I hope and trust it is only rumour for it would be a most serious thing for me to have to move my family, besides I am not the young man I once was, and should be glad to have done with seeking new homes. So long as I can serve the Government where I am and have the health to enable me to carry out my duties, I shall not be afraid of work, but in the name of all that's good, don't move me from my present position. I hope when the Estimates are under consideration you will remember our conversation at Waimate when you kindly promised to have an addition made to the £50 - I received from the ''Law and Justice'' Department. I should also be very glad if you could obtain for me an allowance for Contingencies to meet the demands which are constantly being made upon me by Natives coming from a distance on public business, and who must of course be fed, this I have long felt a heavy drag upon me, and should feel grateful for assistance. I suppose you are by this time well in to the business of the House; I hope you may be able to stand your ground against any attacks made upon you. Mr. Von Sturmer and myself are at the present time being subjected to much anxiety and annoyance on account of that Offord case being brought before the Supreme Court in the light of an application to have the Conviction quashed, we have been served with a Rule Nisi to shew cause why such should not take place, and have in consequence engaged legal assistance in Auckland it appears we made a mistake in the mode of conducting the case, and Mr. McCormick on behalf of Offord is trying to make the most of it, but Offords statements as they appear in the papers are many of them utterly false. You will be sorry to hear that old Moi Tawhai has been very ill, altho through the attention given by his pakeha friends is now much better, I saw him last week at Herd's Point, he appeard much shaken. There is a great amount of sickness amongst the natives, and several deaths have occurred. The ammunition question is much discussed, and anxiety manifested to know how the point will be decided. In a conversation with Mr. Barstow on the subject, he told me he had suggested that the Assessors and Kareres should be allowed ex officio to purchase once a Quarter, also some of the leading Chiefs, the extension of the privilege to others being left to the discretion of the Magistrates who might recommend some of the quiet and well behaved to obtain licenses, in the same manner as Europeans. I concur with Mr. Barstow in this opinion, thinking it would have a good effect, at all events the trial might be made as the privilege could at any time be withdrawn. Should you have time to write I should be glad to hear from you. I am my dear Sir Sincerely yours Edw. M. Williams Donald McLean Esqr. Wellington