ways which could not be mentioned in any other than a general manner. Several of the men have been absent with you --- others again have been to Auckland with despatches and during their absence some of the duties have been necessarily neglected for instance the night watches have been made easier instead of being kept up from dusk to daylight and in place of 3 men at Barracks less have managed the duty --- these and other little things render it difficult to give an exact account of the whole. You may however think of something passed over by me on receipt of this. I should have rewritten the report but for the attendance at the funeral which