Provincial Hospital Napier June 14th. 1869. To:- His Honour, Donald McLean Esq., Sir, I have the honour to bring before your notice my case, which I think you will consider a hard one, and one demanding your favourable consideration. I was wounded at Petane whilst serving as Sergeant in Major Fraser's Company of Military Settlers, on the 12th. October 1866. The wound was in my knee. It has rendered me physically incapable of earning my living; and my state of health is such that it is absolutely necessary that I should have Medical attendance, as my wound is still open. I was treated to last month as a General Government patient; since then I have been struck off by Major Lambert. I am receiving 10/6 per week from the General Government; whereas the charges of the Provincial Hospital are 14/- per week. Consequently my expenses of living in the Hospital exceeds by 3/6 the amount allowed me by the Government. I beg most respectfully to appeal to your well known sense of justice, and to ask you to adopt the necessary steps to have my pension sufficiently increased to meet my difficulty. I have etc., (Signed) James A. Fletcher. Late Sergeant Military Settlers