G.B. 27-6-73 My dear Mr McLean, There are not many papers to forward to you, but I beg to call your attention to one, about the purchase of Mt. Cook etc. - I have placed a memo embodying the hints given by Mr. Gill who tells me a decision is wanted as to how the money paid is to be charged. Amongst some papers put before me I found one, a requisition to the Agent General for 100 cavalry cloaks for the A. C. of the same pattern as at present. It is approved by you, but I have taken on myself to keep it back for the present, knowing your objection to the Cloak in question. I have asked Col. Moule by wire about the matter, but I have had no answer. Major Bathgate is going down by the Taranaki, and Mr. O'Rorke with him. The work of shifting the offices is going on. I have nearly finished the report for your information re Roads north of Auckland, and am only waiting for papers to go on with confiscated Lands - The Otago Daily Times of 23rd has Mr. Moss in it saying that 200 armed natives at Kauhia made you sheer off to the other side, or else they were going to take and slay the whole lot of us - Also states that all telegrams given re the Waikato affair on the part of the Govt. are nothing but lies - I think if he gets a little more rope, he'll venture on some statement which will enable the Lyttle ton Times to jump upon him, especially as his reports are being republished in the Press - I do not see that the Times have yet put in the leader re native matters - We are having awful weather - a cold heavy S.E. gale with rain - yesterday was excessively bad and today not much better. I think it would be as well if the Super. of Auckland were requested to send in an actual return up to 30th June of what has been done on the Roads north out of the £10,000 he has the expenditure of - He has contracted on land for £7000 and the estimate for July is another £1000, so that he is getting near the end of his tether. Until Mr.Allwright lets the Native Office know exactly what has been done, no reliable report can be compiled of work done at the North, although he sends in monthly progress returns - a general statement of what is in his charge is wanted. Worgan has tried it on with Heaphy re the three sections of 400 acres at Waitotara, and has got check-mated by being told that nothing can be done till the forthcoming compensation Court has sat - Mr.Barton has been asking about the Mokoia reserve; and as I happened when I heard of it to he talking with Curnan at the time on the subject of Native Reserves, it struck me that these you have made on the West Coast should be placed on some definite footing - Mokoia, Warerea, Pamahere, etc. have been gazetted, but that is all - Curnan shewed me the Bill on Native Reserves - It appears to me that if out of Confiscated Lands endowments are to be made for Hospitals etc., native schools might come in for a share; especially as the University has taken a goodly slice. Also I fancy that Clause 50 would be very difficult in the working of it. I find Mr. O'Rorke is not going as he has heard his boy is getting better - Mr.Bathgate goes today (28) - I have just received your telegram telling me I had left important papers knocking about the office at Napier - I have not missed a single one; I tore up a lot of drafts etc. as usual; that is all which I can imagine was left about - The Independent seems to try and make out that Stack is to blame in the case of the man Irwin who deserted his wife. It is supposed among the men that his running away is a preconcerted affair with his wife - However I don't think so. The Patterson is in after very bad weather. I remain Yours very truly J.H. St. John