47

A.—l

No. 76. Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir Hercules Robinson, G.C.M.G., to the Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach. (No. 7.) Government House, Wellington Sir,— New Zealand, 6tli March, 1880. I have the honor to forward to you a copy of a memorandum which I have received from the Premier, covering a note from the Bishop of Auckland, requesting that a letter which has been addressed to him by Thomas Bacon, late private 65th Regiment, may be submitted for the consideration of the Secretary of State for "War. I have, &c., HERCULES ROBINSON. The Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach.

Enclosure in No. 76. Memorandum for His Excellency. The accompanying letter from the Bishop of Auckland to the Under-Secretary, Defence Department, is respectfully forwarded to His Excellency the Governor, as the case of Thomas Bacon, referred to by the Bishop, can only be dealt with by the War Office. Wellington, 4th March, 1880. John Hall.

Sub-Enclosure 1 to Enclosure in No. 76. The Bishop of Auckland to the Under-Secretary for Defence. Sir, — Will you be so good as to consider the case of Thomas Bacon, as stated in the accompanying letter, and, if you think it desirable, submit his case to the Secretary for War in England. Yours faithfully, W. G. Auckland, Bishop.

Sub-Enclosure 2 to Enclosure in No. 76. Thomas Bacon to the Bishop of Auckland. My Lord,— Parnell, Auckland, N.Z., 10th March, 1879. In reference to the interview you were pleased to grant me, I now venture, in accordance with your instructions, to lay the statement of my case before you. I was a soldier in Her Majesty's 65th Regiment, in which corps I served for 19111 years; and on the regiment being ordered Home, I applied to the commanding officer (Colonel Wyatt) to permit me to volunteer my services to any of the corps ordered to remain in the colony, in order that I might complete my period of service, but this would not be granted, a regimental order being issued at Te Awamutu, Waikato, to the effect that no man would be allowed to transfer his services. Under these circumstances I took my discharge, free, receiving a gratuity of twelve months' pay, and with right of registry to a deferred pension on attaining sixty years of age. I was in possession of four good-conduct badges at my discharge, and the commanding officer told me that next year I would receive the good-conduct medal, as there were not a sufficient number of medals that year for all who were duly entitled; but of this honorable distinction, for which I was recommended, I have never heard anything since. In the year 1872 I was informed that any man discharged from the regiment who had over eighteen years' service, would receive a permanent pension on refunding the amount of gratuity he had received on leaving the army. In June, 1872, I forwarded a petition to the Right Hon. the Secretary of State for War, requesting that I might receive the same boon as had been granted to so many of my comrades. In reply I was informed that certain men of the regiment had received this indulgence, but that no more would be granted, as they had been issued through mistake. My Lord, I trust I may be pardoned if I mention that I served in New Zealand as follows: Wanganui campaign of 1847-48, under Captain J. H. Laye, 58th Foot, and Colonel W. A. McCleverty; Taranaki war, under Major-Generals Gold and Pratt, and Lieut.-General SirD. A. Cameron; and the Waikato campaigns under the last-named officer; and was present with my regiment in all the actions in which it was engaged, and believe that I earned for myself the name of a good, faithful, and gallant soldier. But, my Lord, the hardships and exposures which I endured whilst serving in the field in this colony—these, with advancing age—have told upon my constitution, and I am unable to continue my employment; and recently, as you are aware, I was discharged from the Colonial Hospital with but poor hopes of ever being able to earn even a precarious livelihood. Since my discharge I have almost always lived in the Whangarei District, and am proud to say bear the same irreproachable character that I did whilst in the army, having earned the