troublesome subject has been powerfully aided by the cessation of all alarm. People say, as is quite natural, "What do you go on making this fuss about the regiment for? the war is over": and certainly the complete apathy and indifference with which the "actual cautery" of the removal of the 18th has been received in New Zealand itself amply justify luewarmness on this side the ocea. But in another sense the news is good for us, because it enables us to urge that we are doing really what is for the interest of the Home country we should do, are on the right track in our treatment of the natives and may safely assure England that if we only have the regiment we want for another year or two we shall finally part with them without fear of asking for a renewed term then. And for my own part of course I rejoice at the apparently certain end of the war if the telegram is to be believed, and looking to our own party position when the House meets do not disguise from myself that we shall have (or ought to have) it pretty much our own way. I told you, I think, in my last letter that we should at any rate wait in England till we got your answers to our letters by this mail. If Featherston and I were free to go we should return by the very next month's steamer: for we dont see what on earth we can really . But after your instructions about Immigration especially, we feel we are not free. You must have all through calculated that we should not be out in time for next Session, but if our Government carries its measures and especially a system of Immigration of some kind is to be brought into play, we shall not after all be useless here. Only please to remember that you let us know by return of post whether we are to remain, and what for. We shall get your