I find the enemy very active and making way and it seems to me if we give them the opportunity we shall in time get worked out of our own Province - The case is not like that of Taranaki - where a little attention puts all to rights. Here we have a revengeful clever set of wretches who will stand at nothing to injure us and are doing so. For instance I find quite a number of people, some who you wd. least expect who begin to speak depreciatingly of the Public Works Policy - altogether I dont like it and wish you to consider well before it is too late what shall be done - Rhodes will probably be elected Super in my place - altho' Tiffen is intriguing and it is said He ADeane and other candidates will go together rather than let Rhodesin - but even supposing Rhodes did get in - He will be and has been in my late absence entirely in Wilson's hands, he simply cant help it - the other is the stronger will and has control over him - A good deal of capital has been made out of Colonel Russells appointment which is very unpopular and has been used both with Europeans and Natives - altogether I sum it up in saying we both risk our seats if we both leave the place to itself - If I go on with Public Works I see plainly it cannot be done creditably from here and that after the Session I shd. have to live at Wellington. If we could leave the decision until then it wd. be all right - very likely some arrangement might be made - but in April say I must resign the Superintendency and when that is done we have lost the strongest hold we have of keeping things right here. My preference wd. be -if it were possible,