A letter had been written to the people about this time by their old friend the Baron de Thierry, then residing in Auckland. It contained such sound advice and good counsel to the people respecting their right use of the many privileges accorded them, that Sir William declared it “worthy a place in the archives of the island.” The governor himself gave much wise counsel to the people, and encouraged them to exert themselves to the best of their ability in the discharge of their several duties in the untried life that lay before them, showing how much depended upon their own efforts to insure success in the general improvement of themselves and their surroundings. In due time the expected party from England arrived. The school, which was then kept by Simon Young, was immediately given into the hands of Mr. Thomas Rossiter. He was an excellent disciplinarian, and proved himself fully qualified to assume the task of managing and controlling the children, who often tried his patience. One of the spacious rooms on the second floor of the new barracks had been converted into a schoolroom, and here, once every week, Mr. Nobbs, for several years, was in the habit of visiting the children for the purpose of giving some religious instruction. This consisted principally in thoroughly grounding them in the teachings of the church catechism, and putting the more advanced pupils through a series of questions and answers preparatory to their becoming candidates for confirmation. Mr. Rossiter, while engaged in his daily duties as schoolmaster, also encouraged the people to apply themselves to the cultivation of the land, and to raise field and garden products for the yearly show which he instituted. Both by advice and example he won encouraging success. Under his skillful hand the wild confusion of the neglected government garden gave place to order and beauty, and the rich, ripe clusters of luscious grapes bore witness to the careful attention that was bestowed on them. James Dawe, the miller, did not find his business a very lucrative one. Almost the first effort was to repair the water mill and the adjoining dam, which had suffered from long neglect. The mill was soon put in working order, saving thereby a great deal of labor. But some disagreement arose between the miller and the party of men who worked with him, which resulted in his leaving the island, with his family, after a stay of less than two years. As for the stone mason, there was no employment for him on the island, so, after repairing a broken wall or two, he left again for Sydney, where he found good employment and wages.