Christ Church, 12 Feby., 1866. My dear Mr. McLean, I was not able to do anything with Col. Hamilton about the 1/- a day for the Volunteers he told me the Govmt. would not spend a shilling more than they could help neither would he commit himself about giving them land instead of the 1/- per diem I saw Stafford only for a few minutes just before the steamer left so wasnot able to go into any question of the sort both he and Sir George seem to like the idea of getting rid of the Maoris who have surrendered Stafford looks upon all our work as useless unless something of the sort is done. You will be glad to hear that te Ua has been taken and that he is on his way down to Wellington Tuke has got his Lieutny. which is more than we asked for he deserves all he gets - The Native and Defence Ministers are neither of them any good where any moving is concerned. I look upon the going of the Defence Minr. to Napier as not in any way likely to affect any plans you may have formed. I arrived here on Saturday it has rained ever since - from all I can hear money is very tight there are no works going on. Yours very truly, Reginald Newton Biggs