ZEALAND TO THE SECRETAIIY OE STATE.

9

A— No. 1.

Taranaki is very useful, for they place those towns in perfect security ; thus leaving the Colonial troops free to protect the inland settlers. 10. I perceive from the letter addressed to you by Colonel Beatson, RE., on the 15th July ult., and of which you have forwarded me a copy, that he considers that the four companies of the 18th now at Auckland are insufficient for the garrison duties of that place. With regard to this point, 1 am assured that there are no guards or sentries whatsoever for civil purposes at Auckland; that the troops there are employed on Imperial and military duties alone, i.e., for the protection of the Imperial stores and buildings ; and that it appears from your letter to Sir George Grey, of the 4th June, 1867, that you then considered " about one hundred and fifty men " sufficient for those purposes, whereas there arc now more than three hundred men at Auckland. However, as there have been no fresh Fenian disturbances on the Southern Gold Fields, I will make no objection to your proposal, that the company lately detached from Auckland, in consequence of the Fenian movements, and landed at Wellington, should be ordered to rejoin head-quarters. I presume that you consider this measure so urgent as to justify the additional expenditure from Imperial funds which it will cause on the eve of the final withdrawal of the Imperial troops from this Colony. 11. As the question of barrack accommodation is raised in your letter, it is observed by my Responsible Advisers that no objection to the present distribution of the troops was made at the time of that distribution on the ground of the want of proper barrack accommodation, and that no special provision for officers' quarters within barracks has ever been required by the Imperial Government at any post where Her Majesty's troops have been stationed in New Zealand. 1 am, however, fully aware of the force of your observations on this head ; and 1 think you will agree with me that, if any Imperial troops were to be retained permanentlv in New Zealand, it would bo desirable that the Governor of this Colony and the General Commanding should unite in an application to the Imperial authorities for positive and precise instructions, first, with regard to the stations at which alone those troops shall be quartered; aud, secondly, with regard to the amount of the barrack accommodation to be provided for them. 12. But it appears unnecessary to go more fully into these questions at present, as it has been intimated to me by the Secretary of State that the 18th Regiment will shortly be altogether removed; and that the " Himalaya " Transport will be sent out to convey it from New Zealand to Australia. 1 need scarcely say that so soon us you receive orders fixing the exact time at which the final withdrawal of the troops will take place, I will readily acquiesce in any measures which you may deem necessary for carrying out those orders forthwith. But in the meantime, I natter myself that you will agree with me, that we are both bound, in the absence of any urgent necessity, not to interfere, without further directions from home, with that distribution of the 18th Regiment which has been expressly approved by Her Majesty's Government, and which, in the words of the Secretary of State for War, " comes within the instructions of Her Majesty's Government, for the short time during which it will " remain in the Colony." I am confident that you think with me, that the paramount duty of Governors and Generals alike, is to carry out, as far as possible, the views of the Imperial authorities under whom they serve. Major-General Sir T. Chute, K.C.8., 1 have, Ac Melbourne. Gk F. Bowes". P.S.—You mention that a copy of your letter now under reply will be forwarded to the Secretary of State for War. You will, of course, forward also a copy of this letter. I will transmit copies of both to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. . G. F. B. P.S. —August 24th, 1868. —Since the above Despatch was written, a letter has reached Wellington from Colonel McDonnell, who reports that on the morning of the 21st instant he assaulted, took, and destroyed the strongly fortified pa of Ngutu-o-te-manu, the head-quarters of Titokowaru, the cannibal chief. It was situated in the forest, about twelve miles from Waihi. Colonel McDonnell had with him 270 of the Armed Constabulary and Colonial Volunteers. He lost three killed and eight wounded, and inflicted considerable loss on the rebels, whom he will continue to follow up until the main actors in the recent murders of settlers have been brought to justice. G. F. Bowejt.

Enclosure 3 in ]\~o. 2. Memorandum by Mr. Stafford. Wellington, 21st August, 1868. Mr. Stafford lias rend Major-General Chute's letter of the 30th ultimo to the Governor, which His Excellency lias referred to Ministers for their observations thereon. Major-General Chute refers to recent occurrences, and to the unsettled state of the Natives in New Zealand, and concludes by advising the concentration at one place (evidently at Auckland) of the single Imperial battalion now in New Zealand, " in order that it may be in a position to afford some " assistance if, unhappily, the Colonial forces should be found unequal to the defence of the Colony." Mr. Stafford is unable to understand how such a course, which would remove Imperial garrisons from their present stations, and concentrate them in one remote from the disturbed districts, would promote the professed object and desire of rendering aid to the Colonial forces. On the contrary, if it were the object of the military authorities to aid the Colonial forces in the maintenance of Her Majesty's authority, and in the suppression of existing Native disturbances, an augmentation, rather than the sudden withdrawal, of the detachments at Napier and Taranaki would be the proper course to adopt. Major-General Chute does not appear to be aware that since the date of the Despatch of the Ist December, 1866, to which he refers, the Secretary of State for War has specially approved of stationing detachments of the 18th Regiment at Taranaki and Napier, which approval was conveyed to the Governor in the Despatch from the Duke of Buckingham aud Chandos, No. 6. of the 18th January last. 3