THE TROOPS IN NEW ZEALAND.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 39, 30 September 1867, Page 242

THE TROOPS IN NEW ZEALAND.

(From the Home News, July 26.) House or Lords, Judy 8.

The Earl of Carnarvon said that on J uly 5 the noble lord opposite (Lord Lyttelton) had a motion on the paper with respect to the employment of troops in New Zealand, and the noble duke at the head of the Colonial office requested the noble lord to postpone his motion, on the ground that the discussion of the subject would be inconvenient to the public service. If by that statement it was meant that the policy he (the Earl of Carnarvon) had adopted upon the subject should be reconsidered, that w as, in his opinion, a reason why the question should be .discussed, and he begged to ask the noble duke whut was tlieriutention of her Majesty’s Government. The Duke of Buckingham said he had deprecated discussion upon the question referred to far two reasons ; first, because there were ho additional papers to be produced, and next, that.as the subject was. still .under the consideration of the Colonial legislature," it was not desirable that t heir lordships: should pronounce any opinion, with.respecb to it. If, however, it were deemed desirable that the question should be discussed, he thought it; would be convenient that the discussion, should be raised by a substautive motion. Lord Lyttelton sai4 he thought.that the arrangement; proposed by. the. noble' earl (of; Carnarvon)/ was plain and : explicit/ and hisVbjeet whs '^o ; ascertain whether ' the had proposed to/ depart, from

The Earl of , Carnarvon observed that he was n6fc> quite satisfied with the. ex-, planatioh. of the noble duke, and he begged to give notice that he would bring the subject under the..oosideration of their, lordships,at the earliest possible moment.' •\ ' ' Judy 15. .

The Earl of Carnarvon, in moving for an address for a return of the regiments in New Zealand, since January, 1865, and the -date, of their , embarkation, entered upon a vindication of a despatch written by him while holding the office of Colonial Secretary, which he considered had. been misapprehended. He remarked .that after the whole power of prescribing the policy with regard to the natives.had been conceded to the New Zealand Government, the Duke of Newcastle, as Coloaial Secretary; had directed the return to England of all; the British troops, with one exception, subject to arrangement. Those orders had not been carried out, except with very great delays, which Lord Carnarvon imputed to the Governor, Sir Grey, acting under the influence of his local advisers, wheu he assumed office he had found the directions of his predecessors still unfulfilled, ahd he wrote a despatch insisting upon the orders being carried out, believing that the military officer had been overruled. by the Governor, but in that despatch he expressed himself in reference to some reported circumstances in a manner which had been, eqmewhat misunderstood. He, however, now desired to ascertain what were the present intentions of the Government in respect of the troops in New Zealand. Address agreed to.