13-1-74 My dear Mr. McLean I am not quite certain as to whether I am to take your letter of this morning as a "whigging" or as an expression of a wish of yours for some new arrangement re old purchases -- As things stand now, I have no connection with the records of old purchases, these being all in Heaphy's office, and the Deeds themselves deposited (where all deed go or should go) with the Crown Lands office -- You are however quite right in your annoyance at the general scatteration of Documents connected with Land, and I see but one remedy -- viz. to bring all Land matters together. At present we have old records with Heaphy, we have Grown Lands and Confiscated Lands and the issue of Grants with Haughton, Purchase of Native Lands under Native office -- Now I believe things will not go right until you have one department to take charge of all the transactions connected with Land -- To give you an instance, from a paper I saw this morning, at least which I was shewn, of the state of fog which sometimes occurs -- For the transfer of lands bought by the General Govt. to Provinces the Crown Lands people sent down to the Governor the other day a list of notices for the Gazette to be signed by him. He returns it with a minute that he does not find anything to satisfy him that there is no native difficulty in the way, I was shewn the draft (approved) of a letter back to him in which he is referred to the opinion of Mr.R.Woon (for his part of the transactions) that is not aware of any Native Difficulty in the way. Now, I was not able to ascertain exactly what blocks there were which are to be gazetted and handed over to the Provinces, but it is evident to me that the Governor is not satisfied without seeing the name of "Donald McLean" affixed to a statement that the Native part of the question is as it should be. I have been speaking to Mr.Clarke about this, and he agrees with me that it is highly important that all notices of the extinguishment of Native Title should be countersigned by you before being submitted to the Governor. Most papers review Mr. Vogel's speech favourably; even the Herald disagrees with him mildly, though at the same time making up the indebtedness of the Colony to £19,000,000, some six millions over Mr.Vogels estimate. Herald also seems glad of the way in which the Waikato extension is to be worked. Here we have nothing, the papers are simply disgusting and I am tired of reading of the petty squabbles of Common Councilmen and of seeing hints and innuendoes against jobbery and swindling on the part of individual Councilmen. There is a little shindy between Stack and the Volunteer Artillery, and I hear Pearce is very wroth -- It's something about Stack turning a firing party of the Artillery away from the Butts to make way for the A. C. -- The accompanying paper contains Mr.Vogel's speech -- I hope you are more comfortable now -- Believe me Yours truly J.H.H.ST.John