Auckland 8 October, 1855 My dear McLean, I send a line by the overland Mail, with only a chance of its reaching you, as I half expect you in the Steamer to return with the Governor. Hapuku is safely gone, and White taking his money. Johnson has also received his money and gone to Whangarei, and generally speaking things are being pretty well cleared up. I send you the newspapers, as they have forwarded them but the Printers do not clearly understand that you are a subscriber. I also enquired in reference to Mantell's papers, and am sorry that they had sold every number having the Assembly Business in it. We have received strict injunctions not to pay monies without authority first obtained. For all the Expenses incurred by yourself in the shape of Rations, Presents, etc., I have been obliged to refer for an authority and approval before the Auditor wd. pass them. The account affair is progressing favorably - I have got up all the Material I can, and if Mr.Baylis wd. only move a little quicker I should be glad. I have every reason for thinking that everything will be squared of in a day or two. We have been short handed. Mr.Baker sometimes sick and Mr.Davis only just returned, for the future I hope we shall be able to go on in a more regular way. The Government is at present hard up for Funds, but I think some arrangement will be made before long to meet the difficulty. Believe me, Yours faithfully, H. T. Kemp