A. No. I

of 16th December, made it impossible for me to attack the Pa during the season favorable for such an operation, and that your Excellency waited until the time of year most unfavorable for it to recommend its being captured. 1 pointed out the objections that existed to commencing the siege at such a time, but also expressed my willingness to undertake it if you considered its political importance paramount to such objections, and thought fit to give me directions on the subject. So far from having resolved not to capture the Weraroa Pa, the chief difference of opinion on the subject between your Excellency and myself was as to tho time and manner of doing it. I have always considered that if the Natives did not surrender the position (which I thought it very probable they would do), an attack on the Pa would become necessary. I acquainted your Excellency that the post which I had formed at Nukumaru would be useful in aid of that attack when undertaken, if its close proximity to the Pa did not induce the natives to surrender it, which I considered probable, and in my letter to your Excellency of the 21st June (a copy of which is not enclosed in your Despatch), I informed you that the Commanding Royal Engineer agreed with me that the attack would not be advisable until a more favorable season, and that all that was to be done in the meantime was to make the necessary preparations, so that no time might be lost as soon as the weather admitted of the operation being undertaken. The Secretary of State for War has been nade aware of the communications I addressed to your Excellency on this subject, and in a Despatch of the 7th instant I informed His Lordship that the post at Nukumaru was constructed as a depot for the material required for the attack, which I intended to undertake as soon as the weather allowed. The Colonial Ministers are incorrect in stating that the force at my disposal was in my opinion insufficient to enable me to capture the Pa ; and your Excellency is in error in supposing that I gave any instructions to Brigadier-General Waddy to order the friendly Natives to retire behind the Kai-iwi, or to put a stop to any negotiation for the surrender of the Pa, but in the absence of all information from your Excellency as to the object which you and the Colonial Ministers had in view in sending the friendly Natives to the neighborhood, Brigadier-General Waddy could not, in my opinion, have acted otherwise than he did. Lieut.-Colonel Logan, too, so far as I can judge from the letters enclosed in your Excellency's Despatch, was perfectly right in the course he adopted, viz., in ordering back from the Pa the officers and men of the Native Contingent, who, having in disregard of the authority of the Brigadier-General, opened negotiations with the enemy, were next in defiance of all discipline and order, proposing to undertake a military service without his knowledge or sanction. As to the Friendly Natives being thus prevented from taking the Pa, I need scarcely remind your Excellency that on a former occasion, when you had the courtesy to ask me whether the friendly Natives, who were then most anxious to attack the Pa, might do so, and I readily assented, the attack was neither made nor attempted, although their number was then more than four times as large as on the present occasion. I am not disposed now therefore to over-estimate the service which the friendly Natives were recently prevented from performing ; but independently of this consideration, I quite approve of Colonel Logan's conduct, and I deplore that your Excellency should support with your authority the proceedings of the Colonial Minister in directly authorizing subordinate officers of the Colonial Forces to deal with the enemy, in utter disregard of their duty to the service, and of the common respect due to the Brigadier-General in command. I will make no further remark on the correspondence enclosed in your despatch than that it carries on the face of it condemnatory evidence of the subversion of discipline, and the consequent confusion and disorder caused by the conduct of the Colonial Minister, countenanced if not encouraged by your Excellency. I have, Ac, D. A. Cameeon, His Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C.B. Lieut.-General. No. 168. Lieut.-General Sir D. A. Cameron to His Excellency the Governor. Sic, — Auckland. 81st July, 1865. I have just read the Speech of your Excellency at the opening of the General Assembly, and in it I find the following paragraph— " I also recognize the readiness with which Brigadier-General Waddy, C.8., Colonel Trevor, and the officers and men under their command afforded me all the assistance that was in their power, though precluded by their orders from taking any active part in the operations against the enemy's stronghold." It is my duty to inform your Excellency that I positively deny having given any orders to Brigadier-General Waddy, Lieut.-Colonel Trevor, or any other officer, which precluded them from taking any active part in the operations against the enemy's stronghold. I have, Ac, His Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C.B. D. A. Camebon, Lieut.-General. Note.— This Letter with its Enclosure teas accidentally omitted from its proper place when the foregoing correspondence was printed. Lieut.-General Sir D. A. Camebon to His Excellency the Governor. Sir, — Head Quarters, Auckland, 21st June, 1865. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's letter of the 9th instant, relative to the issues of pay and rations by tho Commissariat on account of the Colonial Government, and having referred it to Commissary-General Jones, I herewith forward a copy of his letter for your Excellency's information.

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