Napier, February 13th, 1870. My dear McLean, I write this to be ready for the Ashley as I may not have time when she comes. In the first place I have bad news or the prospect of bad news in regard to your Akitio run -- The Matikuna and John Sutherlands flocks are declared scabby and Featherston's run has had its clean certificate withdrawn -- Peacock is just returned from another visit to the locality and he tells me there is no possibility of Featherstone's flock escaping and he fears yours also will get it -- it seems the country is all open now at the back -- and that your sheep mix with Featherstone just as he does with John Sutherland. I do not know whether anything can be done to save your flock from Featherstone's but I fear not from what Peacock tells me. I write now to get your assistance in checking so far as possible the spread of the Scab this side of Akitio -- if it comes up beyond that it will be right through the whole Hawkes Bay district in a very few months -- and almost universal ruin will be the result. The steps we wish to take and in which we want your help are as follows -- It appears that there is a piece of open country on the other side of the boundary of this Province and situate between the part of your run which you occupy to, and where the road now leaves the Coast on the other side of the Waimata from here -- Peacock describes it as having been partly scrub and now burnt and situate on the new road and on the Telegraph line -- It seems you have given Speedy permission to occupy this piece of ground and that his sheep are now in occupation. We want you to revoke the permission you have given Speedy and to authorise me as Superintendent to have the piece of country in question clearedand kept clear of sheep. Peacock says you have never used it and that you will understand where it is if I describe it as the burnt spurs situate between where the old bush track down the Akitio hill entered the Bush and along by the present line of road and Telegraph to the Waimata stream -- We think that if this ground is cleared of Speedy's sheep and 2 good Shepherds put on by us to keep sheep off it that we can secure the Hawkes Bay district against Scab until we can get a line of fencing up which will more thoroughly effect the object. This we mean to do at once and probably shall put a double line of fence from the sea at Waimata far back into the Bush -- All our settlers are in a terrible state of alarm and well they may be -- Scab in this district now would ruin every one in it. I am very sorry indeed to think that there seems little hope of your Akitio flock escaping -- You will I know at once assist us in doing what is possible to secure further mischief. I will not write about anything else in this letter and enclose the kind of authority we want from you which please agree to and return at once there is no time to be lost. Always, Yours very sincerely, J.D. Ormond.