Otaria Wairarapa 14th Sept., 1853 My dear Sir, I had the pleasure of receiving yours letter by Mr. Fitzgerald who did not arrive here owing to the freshes in the river until Saturday last and I am afraid as we have had a good deal of rain that the same cause has detained the early arrival at Wellington of the letters I sent in on the 4th and 8th inst. I am at present engaged in the most difficult part of the Wairarapa negotiation and using every exertion to gain an opening into te Maniheres and Ngatueri's country, the latter chief with his followers has fought hard against the sale for the last two days, but I expect that this day must exhaust his opposition considerably and enable us to gain some ground. The renting system has had such a hold on these people that it is most difficult