—I have a letter from Mr. Adderley proposing to come here on Thursday to dine and sleep, with a view to conferring on a subject on which he expects to meet you the next day.

And I wish to say to you before you see him, that it strikes me, after reflection, that your most effective and least unpleasant mode of washing your hands of the New Zealand Company responsibility, would be by joining Adderley's society or Committee for Reform of Colonial Government; and retiring from the Company on the ground that the two positions—that of a member of the Reform Society and that of Governor of the Company—are incompatible; and that your antecedents, as well as your unchanged opinions, compel you to prefer that position in which, instead of being a party as the New Zealand Company now unfortunately is, to up-page 146holding the worst kind of Colonial Government, you may promote the cause of real local self-government for colonies, Or something of that sort. I express myself hastily and too briefly; but you will understand me, though I should have liked to talk the matter fully over with you.

Of course I shan't say a word about this to Adderley.

I was in hopes of seeing you before you would see Adderley; but as it now seems you will meet him first, I have thought it well just to throw out the idea by letter.

I enclose a characteristic letter from the gentleman whom we want to be Bishop of the new colony, which be so kind as to return to me. You will see that in straightforward pluck he differs from clergymen in general, and resembles your new Bishop.