Copy. Auckland. 3rd. December 1844. Mr. D. McLean, My dear Sir, Your favour of the 17th. August last, reached me about the middle of October. I was glad to find you enjoyed good health, and was pleased with your new Station. Many important changes have taken place here, since you left the most important, as you had no doubt heard of long before this, is the opening of all the Ports in New Zealand, and abolishing all Customs and Duties; and second, the right conceded to the Natives of allowing them to sell their own land, and only paying the Government here one penny per acre for the right of prevention. This is what I told you long ago it must come to at last. Had the former local Government done this three years ago things would have been in a different state from the truly wretched state in which they are at present. As for Ngatei, I have never seen him, since you left this; nor has he, or any of the other natives, paid one shilling of their respective accounts since that time. One native from the Thames gave me a small pig on your Private account. It weighed just 40 1bs; which I placed to your credit, at 1½ per 1b. I have the name of the native, I got it from, at home; which I will let you know when we meet. I don't see there is the least chance of Ngatei ever paying either of us one shilling of his account; for had he been honestly inclined, he has had the means of paying us long before now. I think the only thing we can do is to get land from him at Motunau for the amount he is due; and this, I have no doubt, you could easily manage to arrange, with advantage to us both, from your official situation. This ought to be done without any delay; as at present the few purchases that are made by Europeans from the natives, are at very low prices indeed; owing to so many of them offering their land for sale. By and bye I have no doubt we will have speculation in land from Sydney; and also when purchasing from the natives; which will, no doubt, make them stand out for higher prices. Were you to come up here shortly, the matter could be so arranged as to secure us both. I wish you could send me the paper; which we get from the Natimurraus, respecting their claim on part of the land of Moturau; which they were to concede to us for 2 double-barrelled guns. They have been with me twice since you left, talking of payment. I beg to impress upon you the necessity of having these matters closed without delay; and would like to hear from you on the subject, by the very first opportunity you have; which I hope you will not neglect. I need hardly mention to you the ruinous effects of taking off the duty on tobacco has had, in my purchase of that grown at Moturau. It is now quite unsaleable; as American, I hear, can be purchased, by retail in Auckland at from 9d to 1/- per 1b. My loss on the tobacco alone will be upwards of £60. I have not sold near one hundred weight out of the 600 1bs. I had from joint account; for what with the expense of getting leaves, etc. etc., and paying for sorting the figs, I find the cost of manufacturing it alone little short of 3d. per 1b. as that tobacco cost me 2/4½ per 1b., which at present I could not sell for 4½d; good American, I hear, being sold at 7d by the cask, and inferior at 5d. Townsend has behaved exceedingly ill. After you left he took to his old habit of drinking; and I understand he has disposed of some property of yours left in his charge for the Natives. He made an attempt in connection with a person of the name of Juby, who you may recollect lived for some time with Mr. Partle, to run away with the "Morora" while at Auckland. McRay, who heard some report of their intentions, about town, immediately gave notice to Mr. Partle's man John; who had gone up to the town in the schooner. They had sailed about half an hour previous to the time McRay and John got to the beach. They were immediately pursued; and luckily a head wind had sprung up for going to the Bay of Islands; and the men luckily picked up some when near to Brown's Island. Townsend and Latty, after this, left for Adelaide; and Juby has gone on beard in the "Hazzard" Man-o-War, to prevent his being proceeded against; for other fraudelent transactions of which he had been guilty. As for myself, I have had one misfortune after another since you left. When we sailed to join you and Dr. Campbell at Orini, we were to have gone up to Waihopuhopu; where the vessel was much damaged in the creek, from heavy rain swelling the stream, and she not being well secured, was forced from her moorings, and her stern post broken, and otherwise much damaged. She had just been repaired by Mr. Davy, when Juby and Townsend made the attempt to get away with her to the Bay of Islands; where she was again considerably damaged. About three weeks ago I lent her to Mr. Cuttle, to go to Orini for a cargo of corn; where she now lies, a wreck, with her Mast and stern post knocked out. I went to Auckland about the 22nd. July to see you; but you had started for Taranaki some days before I reached Town. About a month after this I got 6 of the 9 sheep you sold me; 3 being either killed by the dogs, or stolen; so that in this matter you owe me £2.6.8 for the three sheep defficient. £3.3/- has been allowed you in your action with Allerton, for passage money in the Marora. Of course you have to pay me £1.11.6, being my half of the passage money. I am very ill off indeed; and do not know on what hand to turn for release. Do therefore make me a remittance for your I.O.U. of £8.8.6, with as little delay as possible. Ben has left me, and threatens to sue me, if not paid shortly. Do not, therefore, neglect remittance; and direct your letter to the care of Mr. Partridge; who, will forward it to me. I will collect some sacks for you, but have none at present. I have not heard from A.D. Land (?) for some months, when they were all well. Believe me very truly yours, (Signed) John McLeod.