the Herald people have been to the Lawyers told them they have no funds, and do not find me or anyone else willing to be security - and that either the Lawyers must carry on the case with the hope of winning it, or drop it altogether in which last case theywill get nothing - They were told however that if they carried it on and did their best, the friends of the Herald would see what they could collect towards the costs of the action. I have no doubt myself, that £300 or £400 wd. be got together. In case the local Lawyers give it up Carlile means to defend it himself - This has been a troublesome business and has given me a good deal of worry - The Russells and Wilson have run their expenses up as high as possible in the expectation that you and I and others wd. have to pay - It will be rather a sell for them if they have to pay themselves. They have employed Attorney General - Travers - Izard and Pharazyn in addition to Wilson. They are very active and trying to get on terms with all sorts of people Lord Henry and Purvis for instance have made overtures to Colenso - the latter showed Me Purvis' letter and told me what they had said to him - It is reported that faction wd. endeavour to get Colenso to stand for Napier in the event of a dissolution and Buchanan for Clive - Colenso professed to me not to have listened to the Russells but he is very vain and I think what has been done has had its effect on him. I judge from this - I offered to get the sum you promised for educating the Maori lad he is bringing up and he refused at once saying he wd. rather not - As for Buchanan we ought to find him something to do he is capable and wd. be useful as also wd. his brother - Kennedy asked me to name to you that Rich. Major Richardsons son-in-law has heard that Searancke is going to resign the R.M. office at Waikato and that Rich who has a farm there wd. like it - I just promised Kennedy I wd. name it - The Country here is looking very nice better than any place I have seen since I left it - and after going round the North Island