Dec. 17 /49. My Dear Sir, I duly received your letter of the first inst. The matter you allude to will be settled on the spot by His Excellency who I have no doubt will have reached N. P. before this. Away with him is a particular friend of mine sent out to my care by his family, and you will oblige me very much by rendering any assistance you can to him and looking after him. Should His Excellency ascend Mount Egmont you will be of the party no doubt, and as Mr. Clarke is to collect what plants he can particularly high up the Mountain I will feel much indebted to you if you will facilitate his labours in that way. I trust I shall be able to ascend the Mountain myself soon, but in the mean I shall be glad to get what I can from it in the shape of plants. We are getting on here pretty well, and the trade with the Natives particularly in flax has very much increased lately. The sett towards California does not take away so many people as we have of Newcomers and as Carpenters and Sawyers are kept well employed at high wages in sending exports to that country I do not think we suffer at all by the Mania. Hall your successer at Waiheke is confidently said to have realized a large fortune at San Francisco. Yours truly, A. Sinclair,