Napier July 16th 1875 My dear McLean I returned last evening from Wallingford the change has I think done me good but I suffered the whole time I was away from Neuralgia - Thank goodness however I am now better and hope I may keep so - Your telegrams asking me to go by the Rangatira tonight I have replied to by wire. I am very sorry that I cannot go but it wd. not do for me to leave here without properly arranging how things are to go on in my absence. Owing to my illness I have done very little since the Provincial Council closed and I have three or four days hard work before me to put things straight before leaving - As you know I have to do everything here myself and it would not do to go away leaving matters here neglected - You will gather from this that anxious as I am to give every assistance in my power to you and your Govt. I am obliged to put off going for a few days - I wrote a week ago to Atkinson my views generally about the abolition and Local Govt. Bills and pointed out what alterations seemed to me desirable - I feel pretty sure that we shall agree on these matters and no doubt I shall hear from you soon thereon. It seems my letter had no chance of going until Wednesday and is due at Wellington this evening - My advice is to simplify and shorten the Local Govt.Bill as much as possible and to do this by adopting the Road Board system as it is, with the legislation under which it is working - I have thought the subject well over since I wrote Atkinson and the more I ghink it over the more I am inclined to think my advice good - Our tactics should be to give as little ground for attack as possible and to interfere with institutions such as road Boards as little as possible by not interfering with them and at the same time endowing them you carry all that interest with you in the Abolition question - and you postpone legislating on a very difficult subject, in the details of which you are bound to tread on plenty of toes - I hope you and your colleagues will see your way to adopt my advice - According to my notions - The shorter both Bills are the better. Never mind their being open to be spoken of as bald measures - Better so than submit long details which the opposition can carp at and cut up and out of which they may get a good deal to work upon the public through. What I have now said refers to the character and details of the Bills - there is of course the bigger question to consider and decide - viz. shall your Abolition proposals be general or applied only to this Island - If you can rely on the requisite support and I think you can, then as far as I can judge it will be safer to boldly propose the total abolition of Provincialism - I do not however urge this unless you are sure of strength to carry it, but it seems to me that total abolition can be carried whilst it is doubtful if partial abolition can - I shall be down in plenty of time to help with any fighting that may come on. I understand you will start the Luna for here as soon as she returns from Auckland and by that time I shall be quite ready - We have lostour Moorings again and I want Fairchild when he comes to give just an hour to see if he can recover them. The Pilot knows exactly where they are so that unless they are buried they wd. be grappled at once and if they are buried it wd. be no use wasting time trying for them - Kindly mention this to Fairchild as he may want to bring some gear to drag for them - There is no local news to send you except that there is no doubt I believe that that mischievous fellow Russell is going to England - It is said he is to leave the end of next month - When we get quit of him we shall not have much trouble I think in settling the native difficulties. Old Wilson is going to Wellington now and I believe goes Home from there - He told me the other day that Sheehan hopes to represent a Native District in the next Parliament - I dont think he has any chance of the East Coast Native District at any rate -The Natives are mortgaging extensively to raise money for the legal proceedings that are to be undertaken £5000 in addition to what has been spent is being raised - The proposal Wilson made for another Native Commission has been dropped. We are having wonderful weather there was heavy wind in the early part of the week which did good and dried up the country - the general weather we are having is fine and very little frost - I must now close and hoping to be with you soon. Yours always J.D. Ormond Please have a seat marked for me in the House near some of our side - I am sending word to the Hawkes Bay members that the Luna will come for them on return from Auckland. J.D.O.