Monday 30th. July Napier 1866. My dear McLean, I expect the Ahuriri will be in to-night and start for Wellington same day as per advertisement. With this is a letter from Bishop Waiapu and a claim for some £5700? for damage sustained during the late War at Turanga, also two Native letters and one from Worgan jun. anent a list of land at Wairoa, about which you may have heard that that Davis and Carrol quarelled etc. etc. There is nothing new or of interest here. We are looking from your end for all the sensation news just now. I suppose the Steamer of the 2nd. prox. will enlightenn us somewhat. There is a report down that old Rose and Mr. Bennett late (Howell) of Waipawa were drowned yesterday. We are getting everything we could wish now in the shape of weather, and crops everywhere are looking well. Showers alternate with fine warm days N. E. for some ten days past. Thermometer in shade £ 54 to 56. Buckland is down from Auckland and is going up to the Taupo country from this. He says our N. Z. Bank had a near squeak lately in the London panic. T. Russell just removed the a/c in London in time. Yours truly, Joseph Rhodes.