Mount Herbert 4th Jany., 1866. My dear Maclean, I have recd. yours about the Teacher. I am desirous of giving every encouragement to the settlement of a Teacher here if we can provide the needful without entailing too heavy a burden on the few Settlers who would contribute. We have just had a Presbyterian Minister quartered on us which of course takes money. A part of my scheme was to get a respectable teacher who would read prayers and a sermon on Sundays regularly, for which service we might have allowed him £50 a year in addition to his school emoluments. I quite disapprove of these Free Church Parsons pushing their regular Clergy into outlying Districts too rapidly. People really can't support both Church and School all at once Mr. Shepherd might have taken the teaching as well as preaching for a time, as he has evidently been a The funds for a Building which will do for a schoolhouse and Teacher's Residence, as well as for service on Sundays, is subscribed and the Timber is being cut, and I wish to know how much the Govt. will allow. Supposing we raise £200 how much will you give from Public funds, and will there be any objections to the place being devoted on to public worship as regulated by the Majority of the Inhabitants? What about the Salary allowed to a schoolmaster by the Public Grants? There will be a Clerk to the Petty Sessions required, also Registrar of Deaths Births etc., which offices I should like to get for whoever is Schoolmaster at Waipukurau as it will help to make up a Salary. On hearing from you as to these points I shall be glad to cooperate with you to the best of my power. I am afraid, however, at the , sheepfarmers are too much down in the mouth to be very openhanded with Subscriptions and all others are more or less affected by the same causes. I return you the best Compts. of the season and wishing it were a moister year I am, My dear Maclean, Yrs. always, H. E. Russell.