Parramatta Jan[uar]y 15th 1823
Revd & Dear Sir/
	The time is now come, when I should state to you my object in sending Cattle to N. Zealand— My wish was that the missionaries in time should be supplied with Milk, Butter, Cheese & animal Food; which would in grerat measure render them independent of the Natives for Support— Their number must now be fifty or upwards, and many of them females of the best Breed— I now wish to present them as a donation to the Missionary Society, for the Comfort and Support of their Missionaries, reserving two Cows and one Bull for the Wesleyan Missionaries, for them to take with them to the Station where they may settle— These cattle are not to be removed from N. Zealand, nor their Breed or Increase but by Special permission from the C[hurch]. M[issionary]. Society or their Agent for the time being— I have no doubt if attention is paid to these Cattle, but that there will be in time an abundant Support for the Missionaries— They are now becoming of such Importance, and will be more so every day, as to require a Farming Man to attend to them, and the other Concerns of Agriculture— [f] Mrs Clark has recommended a pious Farmer in Norfolk who wishes to come out to N. Zealand, an Acquaintance of hers— I do not remember his name, but she wrote to him on the Subject— The young man Mrs Clark has recommended, or some other would be of most essential Service to look after the Cattle, and other agricultural Pursuits— I was afraid of communicating my Intentions respecting the Cattle to the Missionaries, as some of them would have acted towards them in a manner I should not have approved of, if they knew they were public property— They now supply them with a little Milk and Butter which must be very acceptable to them— As I shall consider them my Property no longer, then the Committee can give directions about them, I have to request you will communicate to the Missionaries of N. Zealand the Society’s wishes concerning them— They should be laid under such Restrictions as not to kill any, but the Males for some time to come, in order that they may increase and answer the object intended— I hope they will prove a lasting Benefit to these Islands—
I am
Revd Sir
Yours very faithfully
Saml Marsden
Revd J. Pratt
&c &c &c