Mr. Kentish McLean goes down in the "Rangatira" he has been engaged in a very disagreeable busines which I hope will terminate satisfactorily. Is there any chance of William Richardson being promoted in the Constabulary. I think it is advisable; that he is one of the most educated men they have, and there does not so far as I can see seem any prospect of any considerable reduction in the Force. You of course know all about the natives, but they don't seem to me to be so happy and satisfied as they used to be and (as Karaitiana is reported to have said in the House.) "somebody might get killed." It may be because I have nothing to do with Prize shooting myself -- but I cannot help thinking that there is a considerable amount of money wasted on it every year -- what I would ask is the use of annually giving large sums of money to professional shots in Dunedin or the Thames. You see a large proportion of the same names year after year -- I suppose it is popular, but, it is not worth the money. My son Charley has made application for a Cadetship under Mr. Bold and Mr. Bold speaks well of him. There is not any news to give you here that you are not already no doubt better acquainted with than I am and I remain, Yours sincerely, A. Kennedy To:-- The Honble Donald McLean