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time to time, been placed in possession of that information, in reference to military matters, to which they conceive they were entitled; and they must add, that the mode in which His Excellency has carried OO his communications on the part of the Colony with the military authorities has been most unsatisfactory, and, in their opinion, very detrimental to the public service. 23d November, 1864. Fkedk. Wii'taker. MEMORANDUM by the Go_TH__ob. In reply to the Ministerial Memorandum of this day's date, on the subject of information being furnished to his Responsible Advisers relative to military movements, the Governor would state generally that he has in every instance imparled to them any information upon such subjects which he was in possession of himself, and thai from an earnest desire to carry on the public service in a harmonious manner, he has otriven in as far as possible to have all military movements conducted in accordance with their wishes, tn the majority of instances, the Governor believes that the instructions he has issued to the Lieutenant-Genera] have been written from Memoranda prepared by Ministers. With regard to plans for military movements since the sth of October last, and the objects of the present military movements in reference to Taranaki, the Governor believes that since the Sth of October the Ministers have not advised any plans in reference to such movements, and the Governor has consequently refrained from forming* any; and on the 10th of November, after Ministers had declined to give the Governor advice for which he had asked, he wrote to them, stating: —"The Governor lias thought it necessary to sanction at once these proposed reductions, because as a military measure the re-occupation of the Tataraimaka block has become necessary, and the force requisite for doing this can (due provision being made for the safety of the Province of Auckland) only be collected in the manner pointed out in Nil L). Cameron's letter of the 28th of October last." Had any further military movements been.contemplated at Taranaki, the Governor would — although Ministers were refusing to give him advice upon such points, and were thus avoiding all responsibility —have felt it his duty to have imparted to them any information of which he was in possession. With regard to the statement made by Ministers, that the mode in which the Governor has carried on his communications on the part'of the Colony with the military- authorities has been most unsatisfactory, and very detrimental to the public service, the Governor can anly state that he has carried on such communications in accordance with the Queen's regulations and the customs of the service ; and he thinks that if Ministers entertained the objections to his proceedings which they now state, they should have brought them forward at an earlier date, and not now when they arc virtually OUt of office. If the Governor could not or would not have altered his mode of conducting his communications with the military authorities, Ministers could then have tendered their resignations. But be must Bay, although he is sorry to differ with Ministers, that the experience of many years, in this and other countries—in some 01 which extensive operations were carried on under various General Officers —has quite satisfied him that the mode in which as Civil Governor he has, in accordance with the regulations, conducted his communications with the military authorities is satisfactory, and very beneficial to the public service. Ministers will, he trusts, pardon him for saving this; but this is a point on which a long and varied experience renders it just to the public service, that he should firmly although courteously express his opinion. Government House, Auckland, 23rd November, 1864. G. Gret. MEMORANDUM by Ministers. Ministers beg to acknowledge His Excellency's Memorandum of this day's date, in reply to theirs of the same date, ou the subject of the method of communication between His Excellency, his Ministers, and the military authorities. His Excellency is pleased to appeal to his long experience in other Colonies in this'matter, and slates that the method he has adopted in New Zealand is in exact conformity with his previous practice in such Colonies. Ministers beg to intimate that this is the very thing they complain of. His Excellency has never before been Governor of a Colony in which Responsible Government existed, and he has carried out in New Zealand, where Responsible Government does exist, the practice which was no doubt correct, enough when the Officers of his Government only fulfilled the functions of secretaries or clerks, and were not His Excellency's B. sponsible Advisers. It is, Ministers repeat, because His Excellency has pursued towards his Responsible Advisers the same course as he would have been justified in pursuing towards such non-responsible secretaries or clerks, that Ministers have complained of it. This is a distinction which His Excellency appears unfortunately never to have realised, but which he must recognise if it is to be hoped that" he can ever work with a Responsible Ministry. Auckland. 23rd November, 1864. Frkd. Whitaker. MEMORANDUM by the Governor. The Governor, in acknowledgment of the second Memorandum from his Responsible Advisers of this day's date, upon the subject of the mode of communication adopted between the Governor and the military authorities in this country, begs to put on record that he has endeavoured in this respect to act in accordance wit Ii the principles of Responsible Government. He believes that it will be generally admitted that he has done so. He is, indeed, even quite satisfied that a larger experience in public affairs of the kind which have recently been transacted in this Colony will lead his present advisers ultimately to admit that such is the case, and to withdraw their present opinions, and to regret that they have often expressed themselves in language of such unusual strength. November 23rd, 1864. G. Grey.
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