A.—No. 1.

No. 1. MEMORANDUM by Ministers. Ministers recommend that prompt and immediate action should be taken at Taranaki and Wanganui, and are of opinion that the state of the Auckland district does not demand a larger disposable reserve force than one British regiment added to the militia force of the Province which might be rendered available on an emergency. The objects proposed to be attained by the action indicated are—the military occupation of sufficient country to give possession of the Patea river from the sea to the bush, and of the country between that river and Wanganui, thereby enabling the Waitotara road to be carried on ; such extension as may be found practicable of the area of operations from Tataraimaka southwards, so as to enable a block of land to be taken between Tataraimaka and the Stoney river—the ultimate object of Ministers being the construction of a thoroughfare between Taranaki and Wanganui, and the establishment of military settlements wherever necessary. It will also be the desire of Ministers, as soon as circumstances may permit, to occupy as a military settlement a block north of the mouth of Waitara river, between the land of the friendly chief Nikoruna and the river. The Bushrangers and the Militia of Taranaki and Wanganui to be at the absolute disposal of the Officers commanding the districts. It is proposed with reference to the Waikato regiments of Militia to place them upon their land with the least possible delay. Fred. A. Weld. Auckland, 19th December, 1864. No. 2. MEMORANDUM by Ministers. Ministers submit for the consideration of the Imperial Government the following Resolutions relative to the withdrawal of Her Majesty's Land Forces, and the cessation of the system of double Government in Native Affairs. They were adopted without division by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives : — (1.) That the Council [House] takes this occasion of expressing its loyalty and devotion to the Crown, its deep gratitude for the generous assistance rendered by the Mother Country to this Colony, and its cordial appreciation of the gallant services performed by Her Majesty's Land and Naval Forces in New Zealand. (2.) That this Council [House], having in its last Session accepted the decision of the Duke of Newcastle upon the subject of the responsibility of directing and controlling the Native Policy of the Colony, as imposed upon it by his Despatch, No. 22, of the 26th February, 1863, which decision has been interpreted by the instructions to His Excellency the Governor, contained in Despatches No. 43, of 26th April, and No. 65, of 26th May, 1861, of the Right Honorable Edward Cardwell, expresses its confident trust that these instructions were issued to meet a temporary emergency and may lapse the moment a normal state of things shall be restored in the Colony. (3.) That this Council [House] (without disputing) does not dispute the claim of the Imperial Government to exercise a reasonable control over policy upon which the restoration of peace must necessarily depend, whilst the Colony is receiving the aid of British troops for the suppression of internal disturbances, (yet) cannot shrink from the expression of its conviction that the joint responsibility of Governor and Ministers has resulted in divided councils, which have been productive of great evils to both races of Her Majesty's subjects in this Colony, and have entailed heavy and unnecessary expenditure both upon Great Britain and on New Zealand. (4.) That the resources of New Zealand have been already heavily burthened, and their development retarded by the great sacrifices that have been entailed upon the Colony by the Native Insurrection. That, nevertheless, the Colony is resolved to make every further possible effort to place itself in a position of self-defence against internal agression, with a view to accept the alternative indicated by the Home Government, namely, the withdrawal of Her Majesty's Land Forces at the earliest possible period consistent with the maintenance of Imperial interests, and the safety of the Colony, thereby enabling the Imperial Government to issue such instructions to His Excellency the Governor, as may permit him to be guided entirely by the recommendations of his Constitutional Advisers in Native, as well as in ordinary, affairs ; excepting upon such matters as may directly concern Imperial interests and the prerogative of the Crown. (5.) That these Resolutions be embodied in an humble address to His Excellency the Governor, requesting him to transmit them to Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies. Upon the debate on these Resolutions, the following counter-Resolutions, by way of amendment, were moved in the House of Representatives, and negatived, on a division, by a majority of 35 to 18 : — Mr. Graha?n's Amendment. (4.) That in the present circumstances of the Colony it is expedient, as a temporary measure, that New Zealand should be divided into two separate Colonies. That the Southern Colony should have a Constitutional Government, administered on the principle of Ministerial Responsibility. That A

MEMORANDA BETWEEN HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR AND MINISTERS.