Hokianga February 3rd. 1865. My Dear McLean, I have great pleasure in acknowledging the receipt of yours of 17th. January. You would be highly amused to see the awfull confusion I have caused in the Missionary hive by setting up for this district they are working heaven and -- the other place also, I believe against me I don't know how many horses the Williamses have foundered in riding about over the district canvassing for Carleton actually they are in just the state you might suppose the citizens of an undefended town would be in on hearing the enemy were within a days march and expecting nothing less than sack and massacre every means is taken to put their humble dependents on the roll and intimidation has not been wanting in more cases than one to oblige parties to vote for them who would have preferred me. The state of the poll is just this, everyone of the mission mob with all their dependants are against me I am bereft of benefit of clergy and fully expect to be formally excommunicated some of these days. On the other hand every single independant settler is for me, and to the present date we are running neck and neck for the no. of voters on the roll in this district being so very few. The missionaries and their families and relations and dependants muster amongst them full half the votes which are a matter of course all against me -- the whole onist party are as I have said me, and I really believe the thing will turn in favour of the party who can put the most new votes on the roll. At all events I am sure that if I am beaten it will not be because the reject me but because there are so few of them in this district, which on the other hand is the great stronghold of the missionaries -- in my own district of Hokianga will vote for me of which I am somewhat proud as it shews I am well thought of where best known. It is not very becoming of the mission I think to take such a strong part against the wishes of the colonists but we know what they are of old in this respect. One thing however they cannot do though they against me they cannot anything against me and moreover I belong to the ''steeple house'' as the Covenanters called it once myself -- the cause of their opposition to me they have incautiously let out themselves in their trepidation and alarm, it is simply this they think if I am returned I have sufficient ability and the will to and therefore in fact oppose me from the same cause which moved ''one Demetrius'' of old to ''make a tumult'' -- it was a rather rash undertaking certainly to attack the saints in their own fortress and as I have said if I am beaten there will be no defeat for all the vote for me but if on the other hand I win, which I have a good chance of, it will be a cruel cut for them as it will prove what is the truth that the days are coming in which the parsons will have to mind their own business a thing they dont like at all to be compelled to. I could horrify ''the Adversary'' even worse yet if I chose by whispering a little fact into his ear which is this even if unsuccessfull here there is a constituency which will put me in at once without opposition -- a constituency amongst the saints have no power at all, so that they have no chance to get rid of me if I chose to adhere to my present idea of entering parliament. I think much with you about separation as the least of two evils I would accept the separation of the north from the southern island but the idea of erecting Auckland province into a seperate from the southern provinces of this Island I think ridiculous. Under the present circumstances however I am forced to join the cry for separation as nothing else will go down with the electors I however have a mental reservation on the subject to the effect that a strong apparent necessity alone would make me seriously advocate it, but a separation of the mere province of Auckland never, nor do I think any efforts on our parts would lead the home govt. to sanction it. It is not at all a matter which troubles me whether I win or loose in the present contest, if I am returned I shall do my duty concientiously to the country to the best of my ability just as an experiment to see what is in me, and shall feel very much delighted to see in parliament at the same time, and perhaps if we open battery from the same side as I suspect we should, we may make a mark of some sort some where -- we shall see. If the missionaries lick me I may very likely remain quiet tho' I have as I have told you another string to my bow. I can stand as much quiet as any man but if I undertake the duties of a representative of the people (or of ) I shall either do my work in some style or give it up on finding myself incompetent. I have to thank you for the Almanac it is really a very creditable production of Hawkes Bay and I am much obliged to you for the present. I am My Dear McLean, Yours very sincerely, F.E. Maning.