Auckland Monday My dear Mr. McLean Thinking I should be back in Napier before you I took the key of the despatch box, which I now enclose I have of course been going up and down and gathering information - and this is about the result - Pollen told me there was going to be a "jolly row" in the House, but of course I did not ask any questions. I met McLeod who told me the Auckland opposition was making strenuous efforts and that a grand attack was to be made on the Native Department and the A.C. - He told me Gillies and Creighton had been working hard to get Kelly to join them and that the latter had a series of documents about the management of Native affairs in the Bay of Plenty which they want produced - I fancy these must refer to action taken by Clarke and Mair with both of whom Kelly is at daggers drawn - I have also been given to understand that McPherson of Waikato is going against the Govt. this is in exact opposition to his constituents' wishes - J. A. Wilson and Chadwick are talking very big about coming down during the Session and being able to afford assistance by their information to the opposition - The latter openly says that a member will call for an enquiry into the facts attending on the formation of the Tauranga-Taupo road - You will remember he is very sore on the subject - I was however talking with J.S.Mcfarlane one day, and to my surprise he told me that although Gillies had originally intended to be very bitter, he had been talked over by some leading men in Auckland, and would have to keep himself quiet. He is nasty enough in his lecture however, which I forward to you. The Herald has already had a slap at him, and I have just written another for the D. S. C. - Creighton is I believe preparing for an onslaught on Civil Commissioners - Wilson informed me the other day that he was engaged in a paper warfare in the Otago Times with "Another voice from the North" - I don't know who that is, and I have been searching the files but can find no letters - My people have been and are gone, after the worst week's weather I remember in Auckland - All my household is ill - poor Georgy has had a touch of rheumatic fever, and I am not at all comfortable about Mrs.St. John, so the doctor is never out of the house - Lady Bowen too is very ill indeed, and could not shew at all during the Belmores visit - I see the terminus for the Waikato railway is very properly settled to be at Mercer, not Tuakau - I was very glad to hear that Locke had come to an arrangement with Ngatiraukawa - The book on Merino sheep is not to be got in Auckland. I have thought that owing to the illness in my family you would not mind my waiting for the deferred departure of the Luna. Nothing but thunder and hailstorms for the last three days - Believe me Yours very truly J.H.H.St.John Pollen has told me today that the mailman has been stript beyond Cambridge.