Whawanui, Cape Palliser. Saturday evening. 31st. Dec. 1853. My dear Sir, The Flood in the Hutt last Monday with the broken state of the Bridges and Roads the two following days prevented me getting to Wellington and on Thursday I was compelled to start for this place to complete the years affairs with John the Overseer and the other Shepherds which prevented me waiting on you and our friend Mr. Commissioner Bell as I intended. It was to submit quietly to offer you the loan of five hundred pounds free of Interest for the purpose of your purchasing the Block of land now pressed on you by Jeremiah which he sketched out at the time you paid for the Whawanu Block (Orou Pah in Oct. last) extending eastward from this Whawanu block I believe to the Area River and backwards to the south to Mararapa --- a small portion namely the Waingaroa mountain is included in my original Maori lease and supports a Flock of young Sheep Rent of this paid up to Sept. last; besides the £500 mentioned I will be ready to purchase half a mile 320 acresof the Maungau at 10/- this I presume with Jeremish's emergencies in Po Nu driving him will nearly meet you purpose. I am the more induced to urge a purchase of this Block from a circumstance which John has just now related, Hapu again, besides the Theft of some Calico which happened early in Nov. and for which I forbad him entrance to the House --- he has been committing some serious depredations accompanied with much ill language. Stewart one of the Shepherds found him with a pack of dogs in the hills among the sheep he had killed two ewes and wounded many more when Stewart remonstrated with him moderately he offered to fight and used very course language threatening to burn our house, as the Shepherds have been instructed to live on the most peaceable terms possible with the Maoris Stewart prudently withdrew. Your own superior judgement will direct you in this matter but a letter from you may I presume have some effect on him, for my own part I shall not prosecute or use an ill hand or allow one at the present crisis the time may come and probably soon will when Harpu must understand that he is amenable to the British law which protects him. Yours faithfully, R. Barton. I have strong objection to the 5/- an acre --- competition in a young community will engender feuds that may go down through many generations it is obvious that a mode of disposing of inferior lands will bye and bye be submited to the council of management to the advantage of all parties. R.B. I hope to be in Wellington in or about the 8 of January. Will see you.