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English
Wellington Mch 16th /63 Donald McLean Esq. Superintendent Hawkes Bay. My dear McLean, I am the victim of an unprecedented piece of punctuality on the part of the W.S.N.Co. - part of my baggage, a female servant, and other matters were on board the Storm Bird and although I chased the steamer in a boat 10 minutes after her time of sailing (4 o'clock Saturday) I was too late - This would have served me perfectly right although I found my watch 1/4 slow, had the Co's boats ever done such a thing before, as start within 5 minutes of the proper time; generally they are from 1/2 to 2 hours in most ports behind their time - Here I am however not in the best of humours waiting for the Lord Ashley and I trust to be in time for the Meeting - at all events the first day or two is always spent in dodging about without any business - Your brother Capt. McLean desires to be remembered to you as also Mr. Strang who has just left my brothers here. Yours truly Joseph Rhodes