Wallingford, Decr. 25th, 1867 My dear McLean, I have yours by the mail and will reply to any official part of it first. I note you will see our engagement about the spending about the spending the £7000 n the Roads carried out - I shall now be (page torn) that it is all right, and that the works will proceed at once, as promised. About the Papakura business, and putting someone in Webers place to arbitrate, I am convinced that the advice I gave in my last was right advice and that the lessees claims to exercise their pre-emptive right shd. be required before arbitration is entered upon, to sign arbitration bonds - as to Weber I am very sorry for him - it is difficult to find any suitable person to replace him. I agree with you that that now it will be seen (page torn) representative as arbitrator. Wilson writes me a letter by this post and suggests the name of Park as that of one who wd. be probably acceptable to most people and whose appointment wd. at any rate free the Govt. from its being said that we sought to grind the lessees - I think the suggestion a good one Park wd. come and do it I suppose for £00 or £150 and what is that on the amount in question. I shd. therefore recommend the employment of Park (page torn) you may consider equally suitable. Park is especially suitable from knowing the place and having a notion of the value of property here. I see you have an idea of going down to Wellington write me word before you go whether you are to be back by the Steamer of the 15th. I want to know because I find it impossible to get away to go to Patea but by hurrying my work forward I could manage to get away so as to meet you at Napier on your return from Wellington we could then arrange together what was to be done. You can meantime ask your brother to be ready to start in about that time and let the Natives have their man ready to go with us. I thought today when I first got your letter of starting down at once and trying to get up to Patea before shearing. But I see your brother has 8,000 to shear and with Christmas and New Year both within the next week he will have no chance getting them. done until the end of (page torn) week. (page torn) know he will want (page torn) to settle the station before he could leave. This wd. make it toolate for me to manage it before I sheer - so I conclude, the best plan will be to hurry thr the shearing - get done in time to meet you on the day you return from Wellington - if on the 15th Jan. (which I can do) and then for Alexr. and I to start in and do what we can. Write me by Cobb's return what you think of my plan - it will entail a delay of ten days not more, (page torn) still more not to cause you to do either so shall like to hear whether you think my plan will do. I heard of Birch and S. Johnston having gone in there and no doubt others will go also. But scarcely before the time I have proposed. I am sorry to hear that Renata and Noah are at loggerheads with the Patea Natives. We shall want to deal cannily between them or we shall manage nothing. I know well the difficulty there is in dealing between two parties of Natives provided (page torn) claims - it is like the (page torn) Hapuku party and Karaitiana - However we will do our best. I cant write more tonight I have a lot of people here to look after. Happy Xmas and many of them to you - Always Yours truly J.D, Ormond If Park is approved, we shd. (page torn) all the cases that (page torn) arbitrated upon sent in before he is brought here. J.D.O.