—The question to be decided by the Canterbury Committee at their next meeting is of such vital moment, and I am so fully convinced that a peremptory decision now against Lord Grey's view, is just what the Colonial Office desires, that I am most anxious to explain to some leading members of the committee the circumstances which induce me to believe that the Office, and perhaps the New Zealand Company, have planned this anti-ballot objection as a means of getting rid of the Association, and getting hold of the land in the Canterbury Plains, for the Office and the Company, or perhaps a new Commission to be formed on the dissolution of the Company, to make a show of colonizing with. The Association is cordially detested, both by the Office and by the Directors who manage the New Zealand Company: and it is their game to induce you to give up in despair, or to take some position which will enable the Government to say, "We page 182reject your sine quá non; and so there's an end of you." Whereas I feel perfectly confident that if you postpone a decision, ask Lord Grey what he proposes instead of the ballot, and let the intending colonists gather and give their opinion (before buying an acre) on the mode of determining priority of choice, you will beat all the foes of the Canterbury undertaking, and have your own way completely: in particular, you will defeat the scheme by means of which cunninger men than Lord Grey are making use of his passions to induce you to commit suicide.

But it is very difficult to explain this matter properly by letter. So I have written to Mr. Adderley to intreat that he will let me see him before the next meeting of the Committee. And I now request that you will give me an early opportunity of talking the whole matter over with you. I will go to town if needs be, but unwillingly because there I am always so unwell as to be incapable of thinking, still more of explaining. If you would do me the favour to spend a day with me here, I should seize the opportunity which I have for some time desired, of endeavouring to interest you in two most interesting and quite practical education questions in relation to Canterbury in particular and colonization in general. I am always at home.