At Mrs A Fields
14 Wynnstay Gardens
Kensington
Monday

Dear Mr Chesson,

I never felt more sorry hardly that I am not sick than yesterday for my heard longed to say. Here is a cheque, use it in any way that you can for … and take care not to overtire yourself. For I know that peoples… as to how lack of money hinders one’s hospitality …. I don’t think I told you that I had written to several rich persons at Torquay abt Te Wheoro on Saturday. Now come three replies, one from the Fox’s, Ford and Anna Fox. Rich quakers, with no children living at Governt House. Like in a grand Torquay house next to the Duchess of Sutherland’s place write to me that they will as fellow Christians gladly receive Major Te Wheoro and George Skidmore and show them all care and hospitality until they go to Plymouth. But all if Te Wheoro is shy of going on a visit to them they would find lodgings suitable if I telegraph to them and will do all they can to help Te Wheoro not to relapse into further illness. Anna Fox one craze is total abstaining so she adds, if the Physician has ordered him wine or brandy, they had best understand I could not allow it. As soon as I read this I telegraphed to Mr Ashbury at Brighton that my rich quaker friends at Torquay were willing to show hospitality to Te Wheoro and Skidmore by receiving them on Wedy until they had to sail for New Zealand and I begged Mr Ashbury to persuade Te Wheoro to accept this generous kindness. I also sent you a telegram as I had had a … note written by Skidmore for Te Wheoro saying that they wd arrive Monday in London Wilkinson Struth and Widrost go to good Mr Chesson’s hotel till we go to the ship away to New Zealand. Friend come and see us then you can arrange for our photograph for we have none left to give you. But we hope to see you Te Wheoro is well the Dr not coming any more to see him, I am glad we go soon to New Zealand.’ I could not telegraph all this to you but I think my telegram will have made … to you abt Mr and Mrs Fox’s most kind hospitality. A letter has also come from Mrs Hugh Erskine Mapleton House St Luke’s Hill Torquay. Say her husband is better than usual just now would go to station and meet Te Wheoro and see him daily at whichever hotel or lodgings Te Wheoro goes to and get a Dr to see him…often to call on him if that … and that anything I ask wh they can do they will gladly do. … feel much for his sad condition away from his tribe.

Capt Hugh Erskine knows all the best Drs and clergy. The Erskines have 4 houses at Torquay, his brothers is a splendid place and Lady Erskine the mother lives … Hugh who being the youngest son has only a pretty tiny house. It wd I hope Te Wheoro will be persuaded to do, he goes on Wedy to Torquay. The Erskines wd I know go up to … to see Te Wheoro and having been in NZ and being consumptive himself and a most sympathizing man wd prove a good friend for the maori another friend who is confined to the house for cold writes that his carriage and … cd meet Te Wheoro and Skidmore and take them to their destitation tomorrow or Wedy if I will write her word by which train they go to Torquay. So you see Mr Chesson one way and another there would be 3 reliable good friends to call for Te Wheoro if he falls more ill and the Fox’s are wealthy and would I expect or Hugh Erksine would go on board ship and see Te Wheoro off. It would be far better than staying in London as he would have at Governt House the comforts he had at Brighton. Perhaps Te Wheoro fears his money is running short …

Mrs Grace has not come neither have I heard from her. I will send her to Clapham if she does come, if she does not come I will write to her to come here tomorrow to go with me to Wilkinson Street. Te Wheoro must get Mr Gorst … to go and see him tomorrow and all the luggage he does not need get Skidmore to pack and send off to Shaw and Savill’s care for S.S. Ionee.

Mr Henry Nicholls did all that sort of work for Tawhiao I think. Excitement one must remember is bad for Te Wheoro as hurtful as cold to the lungs. He must not fuss or flurry. I suspect tho he … he is well, he feels ill and consider that his acceptance of going to your hotel Wedy looks like …

Mrs F.H. Fox Governa House, Torquay is the rich quaker’s address. It’s on a hill, but would be warm throughout and the Torquay Drs understand the lungs and that house wd be a good continuation of the sort of care Te Wheoro hadd had at Brighton. 2 good clergymen thorough high Ch men all friends with the Fox’s who also are friends with Mr Hugh Erskine and nothing could be better than on Wedy for Te Wheoro and Skidmore to go down to Torquay and accept hospitality of these friendly people. Te Wheoro had best be told that they are not related to the Fox’s in New Zealand.

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