Wallingford, Nov. 22nd, /65. My Dear McLean, I meant to have written you a long letter tonight but Cooper is here and with the number of letters I have to write I fear it will not be as long as I could wish. I am very pleased to hear from you the results of your East Coast visit - You have improved very much on the Stafford Instructions, which I have read and return, I cannot find the smallest indication of a desire in these Instructions to adopt our united recommendations to take territory flora the rebels - I am glad you have quietly put this on one side and announced that the land of the rebels is gone - I fear we shall scarcely induce this Govt. to enter into any colonizing schemes but we may hope to be able to effect something in that way when the Assembly meets again. Next about Poverty Bay - there is war there by this time and at is best that the fight should be had out now it must have come there sooner or later - You have fortified your position well by the steps you took before proceeding to extremities - We shall I trust soon hear of complete successes there and then our end of the East Coast is settled - What did "Barabbas" do at his meeting, we must begin to touch him up again - I want copies of the Herald with my last letter 'Fact' about what he was making out of his political position and his reply in the next paper denying he had received money from the Lexicon etc. When I get them I will give him a second edition. Dont be too careless about seeing to support for the election to the House. We shall have the writs shortly and you may be sure Barabbas is doing all he knows in the meantime. I shall that little beggar Chrighton of the Southern Cross has been writing at us for sending to Auckland for people I will try and write a short reply to his article for the Herald. Hang it, it is too much of a good thing. When we are relieving them of the administration of the most difficult part of what they call their Province, and also relieving them of some of the poor wretches who are near starving in their midst, that they should write and abuse us for it - We must give Mr. Creighton a lesson I have got my early shearing nearly over i.e. shall finish tomorrow - But the next 2 or 3 months will be a very busy time on the Station. Have you been able to do anything yet about the Manawatu road - I hear from my natives that Karaitiana is ashamed of the view he took in reference to the road. He did it simply to retaliate on us for not doing his side justice in the purchase of the land - I hear he now admits that that fault is Featherstone's not ours and that he was wrong to take the course he did. If this be so pray settle at once to send Fitzgerald off as agreed upon to begin the work, and back that up by a road party as soon as he has done enough to start them. We shall be in a tremendous mess in this District this year - We have no market and stock will be unsaleable - whilst if that road were open we could sell any quantity - This matter is really of importance to the District and if you can start the work at once - there is yet time to open a bridle track this year. Rev. Williams also writes me that Karaitiana has withdrawn his opposition. If so pray start Fitzgerald off at once with letters to old Herewanu etc. I have written all I have time for - Trusting you will have good news to give me from Poverty Bay - Always, Most sincerely yours, J.D. Ormond.