3

A—No. 3a.

3. The district of Nai}ier (or Ahuriri) consists chiefly of large, undulating, well watered plains occupied by Europeans and Natives who are thoroughly intermixed. There is however this marked difference that the Europeans, who number somewhere about 1000, are thinly scattered over the country on sheep and cattle stations, while the Natives are united in pahs or villages. The latter could therefore destroy the former at any time without difficulty. Hitherto Hapuka and other friendly Natives have secured us from harm, but what course Moananui will pursue if he succeed in destroying his opponent, remains to be seen ; he has already shewn signs of ill will, and is an ally of Te Heu lieu the chief organizer of the movement for establishing a King on the Waikato, and a league to prevent the sale of land to the Government. 4. A building, called the King's house, and a flag staff have been erected at the confluence of the Waipa and Waikato rivers, but I have not thought it advisable to notice that which I have no power to prevent. My despatch No. sof the 22nd instant, will also inform you of an unfortunate occurrence at New Plymouth. ' As yet there has been no co-operation between these parties, but their junction would be so easy to themselves and so prejudicial to us that I observe their movements carefully: not to be able to vindicate the law in one place, and to be unable to afford protection to those who seek it in another, would be an admission of weakeness too obvious to be overlooked by so acute a people as the Maories. 5. I beg to assure you that every care shall be taken to avert a collision between the two races, and every forbearance compatible with the honor of the Crown shall be shewn in dealing with the Natives ; but I do trust that not less than two complete Regiments and a Steamer of War will be stationed permanently in New Zealand. The men discharged from the 58th Regt. have reduced the military force to less than 1400 men, but I hope they will be replaced as soon as possible. After what I have written on the subject of Naval protection I feel that it is almost impertinent to add more, but I should neglect my duty if I did not urge the necessity or it by every means in my power. 6. By the next mail I shall have to report to you the result of my visit to the North, where the Natives were profuse in their expressions of attachment, and replaced the flag , staff which had been cut clown in the last war. They were very anxious that I should share in the demonstration made on this occasion and I much wished to have done so, but feeling that constancy is not always to be expected in savages, and that those who erected the flag staff might again cut it down, I was obliged to excuse myself in the best way I could. Had 1 however been 3ure of Naval protection I should not have hesitated to respond warmly to such loyal expressions, and have every reason to believe that my so doing would have been attended with the best effect. Again therefore I beg to urge on you the necessity of stationing a Steamer of War in the waters of this Colony with instructions not to leave them. I have, &c. (Signed) T. Goke Browne. The Right Honorable H. Labouchere, M. P. Government House, Auckland, New Zealand, 25th Feb., 1858. Sin,— I have the honor to enclose copy of certain correspondence which has taken place in reference to the Military defence of the Colony, comprising letters from the Officer Commanding the Forces, my reply and a Memorandum from my Responsible Advisers. 2. The letter marked 1 is from Col. Wynyard, the Officer Commanding the Forces in New Zealand, suggesting that I should apply to the Australian Government for 4 companies or the wing of a Regiment. Letter No. 2 is my reply to the above, stating that nothing but the most extreme necessity would warrant my applying to another Colony for Military assistance, and that I did not think that necessity had yet arisen. No. 3. is a letter from Col. Wynyard pressing on the Colonial Government the necessity of considering where and how reinforcements can be obtained in the event of the force under his command being concentrated at New Plymouth at the expense of Auckland and Wellington. Nos. 4 and 5 are statements of the present disposition of the troops, and the Arms available for the Militia. No. 6 is a Memorandum from my Responsible Advisers earnestly soliciting that an additional Military force should be stationed in the Colony, and that at least one Steamer of War should be placed at the disposal of the Governor. 3. Since my despatch No. 12, of the 15th inst., I have received no further information from New Plymouth, and lam still of opinion that the measures adopted will have the desired effect on both the Natives and the settlers. It is however absolutely necessary that we should be prepared for a different result. To meet it I have ordered the Militia at New Plymouth and Wellington to be enrolled without delay; that at Auckland has been so for some time. I endeavoured in 1856 to embody the Militia at New Plymouth but failed in the attempt, but now in the event of hostilities, I have directed they should be called out for actual service under the penalties provided by the Militia Ordinance. 4. Should Her Majesty's troops stationed at Auckland and Wellington be required at New Plymouth I shall have considerable difficulty in making the Militia supply their place ;for, so long as the danger is remote, men employed in trade, and labourers earning very large wages will not easilybe pre-