and spend their money and no doubt they are having a nice drunken time of it. I went over the proposed road works and have had to alter them considerably but hope soon to get them started - the Plains I went all round and saw as much of the settlement as if I had lived there for months - It is a nice place but accounts of it are somewhat exaggerated - the settlement is increasing the Militia roll having increased from 140 to 240 in the year - the settlement of Ormond has mainly caused this - I urged Read and others to open some of the good land they have bought from the Natives and sell it to bona fide settlers in small Blocks and both Reid and Westrup and Johnstones promised me to do so -the settlement is much retarded by having no local govt. to do anything wanted - I received a line from you by the Star and am glad to hear you are coming to nearer terms with Rewi Tawhiao I dont care about I wd. rather see him fall and think he will if you let him alone - Respecting Paeroa's telling the Urewera they