Private. My Dear McLean, Thank you for your letter of 31 August. Matters look fishy here as well as with you - Waata Kukutai is here and professes peace for the lower Waikato but I want faith - Rumours of all sorts reach us - I believe their is little doubt that Thomson, Rewi and Takrei are wavering. White wonted me to move in some way towards them but I declined on the score that any movement on my part would alarm and perhaps be used against us. We want you and Drummond Hay back very much - It is said Jeraiah is with Thomson and Hay might return on his usual circutions and meet Thomson as if by accident. He is the only man we could send - and if the natives have not returned to Taranaki he may surely be spared. The Waikato natives who had Crown Grants on the North Shore (close to Gladdy Wynyard) have sold their lands at £12.10 an acre, having refused £43.10 a few months back - this took place within the week and in opposition to Kukutai's advice - He advised them to lease their land but they said no they were going to fight and went off to the Waikato - The duke promises one regiment from India if the reports continue unsatisfactory but says we must expect no more. He approved generally but not a word about the Native Council and my despatch of Sept. 1859. Major Richmond is made C.B. at my request and Martin a Knight but not a word has been said about Arney whom I recommended at the same time. Hadfield and your evidence went home by last mail - Yours is very convincing but if it had been as well prepared as Hadfield's would have annihilated him. Hadfield absolutely denies having instigated the Petition from Otaki for my recall and Turton goes down to make further enquiries. Valentine Smith is to be R. M. in the Wairapa and Turton on the West Coast. Wardell is to go to XtChurch with the most we can give him. Matine is not at all well at your house. He had bad news from the South but not very intelligible. I dare say you will think my urging your return not very reasonable but you know how entirely I depend on you and how ill I get on without you - Pray therefore come unless you see positive reason to the contrary and bring up Drummond Hay - A number of canoes are reported to have come from Waruku to Mungaru but the report wants confirmation. Believe me, Yours sincerely, T. Gore Browne. September 7. 1860