Wallingford Novr. 17th/64 My dear McLean, I have yours by the mail but have no time to write you at any length. I shall be down by the evening of the 25th which will give me a day at Napier before leaving for Auckland. We can talk over the various matters mooted in your letter when we then meet. Shant you be able to make out a short visit to Auckland. There are many things that your presence might be very useful in whilst the Assembly is sitting and the session can only be a very short one. All parties seem agreed to that from what I can hear. The Land question or rather the question of how the Lands are to be disposed of is a large one. Of course no alteration can be effected without both Provincial and General Assembly Enactments. Pray be careful as to the promises you make of grants of land to the Defence Corps or you will find you have promised more than the Councils will agree to. I have heard from several members on this subject all disapprove giving away the Provincial estate and I see no reason why we shd. make ourselves liable for Gen. Govt. short comings. I write in great haste, Yrs. very truly, J. D. Ormond.