Wallingford Decr. 12th/62 My dear McLean, I sit down to write you a few lines on a matter affecting my brother your neighbour at Maraekaho who has asked me to do so. He writes me that he thinks it possible you might be willing to dispose of the back portion of the run held lately by him but which you purchased lately from Mr. Tollemache. He thinks that you do not care about the rough back part of the run and that if he could get it he could manage to make a living out of it. He has some little means of his own and he believes that Mr. Tollemache would help him. The part he writes to me about, includes 630 acres of 10/- land and 900 acres of 5/- (for the latter of which you have paid 1(0/-. I do not think it is of any use my writing you at any length on this subject. Of course it all depends upon whether you care to retain the country I allude to. If you do not I think my brother could find the necessary means to purchase it. You will I know pardon the liberty I have taken in asking you about this. Of course if you wish to retain it there is an end of the matter. If not and you think it possible you might part with it, I wd. go more into particulars on the subject. In the meanwhile I will trouble you no more and will only ask you to give me a yes or no answer on the subject. I didn't at all like writing you about this when I began but my brother begged me to do so and I have therefore done as he asked. I am quite aware it is perhaps a great piece of impertinence but I know you pretty well and have just taken the liberty. I must say a few words on another subject now that I am writing to you. I hear it is possible that you may be induced to stay among us and even take the soon to be vacant Superintendency. It is not necessary for me to make any assurances to you upon the subject. You know that long ago I asked you to take what was then at your disposal. I shall be as glad to see you take it now as then, and quite as ready to give you all the little help and assistance it may in my power to offer. When I say I sincerely hope that the report I have heard is a correct one I need say no more to you. I should have been very glad indeed to have endeavoured to see you but I am so busy at home just now that I fear I cannot leave. It is just possible I may be down in Napier in about a fortnight. Shall you be there then or how long do you propose to stay. I write in great haste so please excuse my scrad. Always yours very sincerely, J. D. Ormond