—Notwithstanding my sense of the extreme disagreeableness of meddling with what does not properly concern one, I resolved yesterday, after some talk with John Simeon, to tell you that in our opinion your brother is ruining his health by attending to the Canterbury matter. I conclude you know that he has resigned the Chairmanship of the Committee of Management. Yet he works away as if he were still mainly responsible, after a course has been adopted to which he had insuperable objections. And his health suffers visibly. I was quite pained to see him yesterday at the New Zealand House, and am sure that if you had seen him you would neither be displeased nor surprised at my writing to you about him. I have a strong regard for him, but am afraid to speak to himself, because he would resent it, and his irritation might be increased. If you want to judge for yourself, as is very desirable, you might be present, unofficially as I am, at one of the meetings; when you would see that he has not strength to bear the strain and excitement of business. He sinks under it and becomes, to my experienced eyes, fearfully ill. My hope is that you may persuade him to rest, as I did when work threatened to operate like poison.

At any rate, perhaps you will speak to Simeon.