Auckland Jany. 18th. 1871. Dear Mr. McLean, I am much disappointed that I have missed the pleasure of seeing you for I could not have afforded to have left home unless I had felt sure that if your had been able to have afforded me a few minutes conversation you would have directed the issue to me of scrip for the grant of land which Government has for so many years deprived me. However I trust that the accompanying Report of the Grienance Committee of last Session is sufficient to enable you to do so. I shall esteem it a great kindess if you will form a decision and communicate it to me during this month. At present it is a matter of much importance to me, more so, I hope, than it will be in six or seven months time. I saw Dr. Pollen on the subject of the Road between Waipa and the West Coast. He montioned that the Government Engineer is about to visit Raglan so I fear that there is not much probability of the Manga a Rahu road being opened, these are so many roads upon paper that he will probably not take the trouble to cut another especially when it will be necessary to employ a Mauri Engineer to find it. Yours very truly, J.C. Johnstone.