Wallingford May 20th, 1868 My dear McLean, I have yours by the mail and note all you say in your two letters. Now that I have the Estimates by me I will do something by next mail towards getting them properly arranged. I shd. like you to send me by return of post ''an Estimate of the probable Revenue for the coming year''. Carter will be able to give it approximately without much trouble. I enclose a slip on which I have described what I want -- I can do nothing towards arranging the finance without this information. Tell Carter I only want approximates, nothing that will give labor in preparing it I fear there is no chance of my being down before the Council opens. I have a great deal yet to do, but I will come as soon as I can you may depend. As long as I am down during the first week it will be all right. For they cant get into business at once and the first day or two will be spent in empty questions etc. and motions for returns -- the first of which are always easy to answer and the latter are unless very objectionable always allowed -- On the Education question I see nothing for it but a tax. What is the Nelson system I have heard it works well. In preparing what little you care to say to the Council on opening I shd. if I were you touch on as few subjects as you can -- first there is the Financial question. In this I shd. carefully avoid figures -- and merely say that a falling Income called for a corresponding decrease in the expenditure and that strict economy wd. be the endeavour of the Govt. There you have the Education question. The Wellington debt -- short notice of what is being done upon it. The state of the Surveys and Roads and many other lesser matters which will occur to yourself. The main one to be careful upon is the Financial one -- in that deal only with general terms. About the Gaoler I shd. say Miller was the best of the candidates you name Corfield writes me asking support but he is not so suitable a man as Miller I should think. Your idea of ending the Financial year in March wd. not do for then the Council wd. have to meet in March. Whatever time the financial year ends there must be bother in winding up the accounts. The main thing to simplify the accounts is for Weber to pay for everything he can that is in hand and account to Carter for what he pays -- It is the outstanding accounts and sums advanced to officers on acct. that makes such a muddle of the acct. Scully is away through into Wellington Province in chase of the prisoner who escaped from here. I hear of him being at Palmerston in full scent of his prey -- He is a capital man at that work -- worth all the rest of the Force put together. When he will be back I can't tell you but I feel sure he will bring the prisoner back with him. Mr.Morrison has not turned up here so I conclude he stopped at Waipuku. I have no other news -- please see I get the information I want by the return mail and I am always Yours faithfully J.D. Ormond