MILITARY.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 119, 21 July 1847, Page 3

MILITARY.

(No. 47.) No. 12. Copy of a Despatch from Lieut. - Governor Grey to tub Jlioiit Hon. Lord Stanley. Government House, Auckland 1 , May Htli, 1840. My Lord, Upon the 12th- instant I addressed a Deipatch to jour- Lordship (No. 40,) in which I stated 1 would, take an early, opportunity of reporting upon the strength of the military foree i which I considered at present requisite for the. maintenance of British supremacy in these islands. I have now the honor to transmit copies of the correspondence M-hich has passed between the, Lieut. -General commanding' the forces in Kew South Wales, and myself upon- this subject* Your Lordship will find, from this correspondence, that I consider that a force of 2>500 troops of the line should for the present Derationed in New Zealand. i find that my predecessor, in hi* despatch No. 27, of the 9th of April, 1345, stated.it as his opinion that two regiments were required for the maintenance of those islands, which would amount to a. force of about 2000 men > but after having now visited many portions of the islands, I should recommend, that the force here should be increased to 2,500 men. I make this recommendation under the belief that in four or live years' time this force might be reduced' to a single regiment, and that it would be advantageous to continue as rapidly as possible the formation of a local police force, composed in a great measure of. natives; which foice 1 am now organizing with apparent, success. The expenses of this force could:, at 1 the end of a few years, be defrayed from the revenues of the colony, and it would be one in every way suited to the seiviceof this country. Indeed, 1 think it would in New Zealand be found more advantageous than any European force. 1 beg to state to your Lordship, that however limited in number may be the force which Her Majesty's Government may be able to place at my disposal, I will do my utmost to conduct the service in such, a, way as to merit, Her Majesty's approbation ;lmt my fear is, that if a sufficient force is not at once stationed in the country, sanguinary and expensive, yet petty wars may take place, which will entail on Great Britain, a large and useless 'expenditure of blood and money, and retard the advancement of this country almost indefinitely j whilst on the other hand, should a sufficient force be at once sent here, I feel satisfied that no further disturbance of any consequence will take place, and that in a few years the country will be able to defray the expense of its own establishments. I have, &c, (Signed) G. Grey' The Right Hon. Lord Stanley, ice, fee.

(No. 4.) Copy of a Despatch from the Rioht Hon. Earl Grey to Lieut. Governor Grey. Downing-streefr, 34th November, 1846 Sir, I have had the honour of receiving your Despatches of the dates and numbers noted in the margin, and in which, after giving an account of the events which have recently taken place in New Zealand, you state that a military force considerably larger than that which is now stationed there will in your opinion for lome years to come be required to guard against the recurrence of pelty but expensive wars with the nativetribes, and that you consider not less than 2500 men to be necessary for this. purpose. I have too much reliance upon your, judgment to doubt that you have good grounds for your demand for this large inctease of force, and therefore though the no less urgent demands from vaI rious other quarters for the services of Her Majesly'stroops render it a matter oPs«me difficulty, measures will immediately be adopted for supply ijig,witJin.O' more delay than is inevitable, the additional troops you have called for. it will

not, Uoweyer, tie. in the. power, oft Hoi' Majesty'^ Government to supply the whole of this rein* foroetnent from the regular army. A. part of it 1 will consUt of a force of a different description to be formed for the purpose, as to which in another Despatch of this date you will find all necessary information. This- force* wjll be designated' as the Royal New Zealand Fencibles ; will consist of about 500 men, and will be sent direct from this, country to Auckland. The additional regular, troops to be employed in New Zealand will be' 900 men from the regiments now serving in New, South Wales. Orders will be sent at the same i time with this Despatch to the Governor, and to , the Lient.-Genera! commanding in that Colony,, to foiward to Wellington with the least practicable delay detachments of the above strength,, . for whose reception you will therefore lose no time in making the best preparations in your power by taking measures to provide them upont i their arrival with the necessary supplies, and) withisuch quarters as you can obtain at the different places at which you may consider it most; advisable that they should be stationed. By the above arrangement, as detailed in the margin,, the amount of. force, you have named as being re-, quired will for the present be provided j but you) will not' fail to recollect-that' it is impossible permanently to keep so many, as 3000 men of Her Majesty's regular army in New Zealand withoutvery great inconvenience. I have therefore to instruct you to direct your most serious attention, to the means which should be adopted to enablei you as soon as possible to dispense wilh a portion, of this force. With that view the formation of a well-organized Militia, and' of a fore a composed of Natives in the service of Her Majesty,, would appear to be the measures most likely to be eucceisfully- adopted. I have, &c. (Signed) Grey. P.S.— I have instructed the Master-General; and Board of Ordnance to send to you, by a vessel which is appointed to sail on the first' December direct to Wellington,, or. by another vessel' which will depart in a fortnight from that, date,, an adequate supply of such tools, nails, hinges,! and small stores, as may in their judgment be< required for the more ready construction ©f the* buildings for the-Fcncible*. To Lieut.-Govemui* Grey, &c. &c. &c.