Clive Grange Dec. 6th 67 My dear McLean I have been very busy with home matters lately and have been quite out of the way of all news and passing events at Napier - Barlow and Toogood seem to have let the Lawyers eat the oyster while they continue still to quarrel over the shell. We are not quite finished shearing yet here - Just stacking the Hay crop these few calm days, which are very welcome - The crops are very light this year again, all round, owing to the long spell of high drying winds following soon after the floods and before the ground was in good order to receive the seed. The Insect pest is not in force this year as I had anticipated, but had they been there was very little for them to eat save the grass seed - I fancy we shall have a better agricultural and pastoral climate here when the plains are more covered with plantations to take the place of the great original forests which once covered them, and the surrounding hills in every direction. I recollect Canterbury plains once quite as bare as this place of bush, and now to look down upon it from the bridle track you would fancy it almost a wooded country with its long lines of newly planted trees and copses - Wool crop is good with me and pretty generally I fancy - Sold 1/2 bred wethers last week @ 10/- a miserably low figure - still I fancy the boiling down will have to bide a wee. I hear there is war between Marshall and Stables, but I think the business may be settled for the benefit of all parties concerned if reason is allowed fair play. schools will result in the ruin of both--- Marshall should allow (indeed ought from the first receipt of Govt. money) MR. Stubbs to take charge of the upper classes. Money was voted to bring a more competent man, than he Marshall was to head the Grammar School. The money receipts of the school should be equally divided between them, Marshall getting a small rent. Yours very truly J. Rhodes