bring him round to my way of thinking now that he has no bad company such as the Dometts were when he went down to the port with me to meet John. The time we expected him I gave him 10/ for pocket money which I considered was plenty but he went and borrowed £3 and spent it all before he returned when I stayed their two days and only paid for self and horse 18/. However all that he may spend in any way must be charged against him in clothing and shoes as well for he is very carless of them. I tried a reformation on that point but to very little effect. In fact I had to gather up there cast away cloths and remonstrate with them about this but to no purpose. Alex had a box of duck trousers and blue shirts he bought at auction and they just used them as they pleased when one pair was the least torn it was hove to one side and another one taken. I put a stop to this and sold a few that was left to the Maories when shearing. Alexander poor fellow had a good deal to do with one thing and the other and he has been so long in the colonies that all those little things gaves him no thought and he thinks me I make no doubt very mean but it is not meanness but a sense of care. Having always to be very carful about little things indeed I am naturally so. Alex has purchased he tells me 400 acres on the run and in the best places up towards the bush. I have a strong idair of building a house in the Little Bush and cultivating all round their as the ground is good there. The