Napier February 15th 1874 My dear McLean, I write a line in hopes of its being in time for the Murray but I am doubtful - Last evening I got your telegram saying young Eyre was wanting to leave the service - Of course I cannot imagine what has caused this wish but I know it wd. be a great blow to his father and mother - and what he himself wd. regret directly it was done - I think the best thing for him wd. be to get him sent home to England as quickly as possible if it can be managed. I find on enquiry that last time he was out here in the Galatea and came up to Hawkes Bay he expressed a wish to be a settler in N. Zealand - a mere boyish fancy from liking the Station life at Wallingford - At any rate I wd. not for anything he shd. leave the service out here and think that if he cd. possibly be sent home that his father and mother wd. reason with him and keep him in a service he has spent so many years in - Will you kindly enquire from Capt. Simpson if there is any possibility of shipping him off to England - Will you also tell the lad himself that he must not leave the service until he has seen his father and mother and had their advice - Eyre will be truly thankful to you if you can stop the boy carrying out this silly whim I will not write more as I am not at all sure this will go please do all you can to stop the lad - Always Yours most sincerely J.D. Ormond I saw Vogel and Richardson yesterday and had a long talk with both especially with Vogel. Glad to hear Bathgate is disposed of and sorry O'Rorke wont go - I fancy T. Russell will not join and if he did the Colony wd. not be satisfied to have Vogel - Russell - Pollen and O'Rorke all for Auckland. J.D.O.