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(New Zealand, No. 52.) My Lord,— Downing Street, 27th October, 1892. I referred to the Secretary of State for War your Despatch No. 31, of the Bth of July last, with its enclosure, suggesting that a concession recently granted to soldiers who served in the Crimea and Indian Mutiny campaigns might be extended to soldiers who served in the Maori war. I have now the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Government, a copy of the reply which has been received from the War Office. I take this opportunity to forward to you copies of a correspondence which took place with the Agent-General on this subject a short time previous to the receipt of your despatch. I have, &c, EIPON. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Glasgow, G.C.M.G., &c.

A.-l, 1893, No. 3.

Enclosure No. 1. (Copy—7/ Gen., No. 4/270/.) Sik,— War Office, Pall Mall, S.W., 18th October, 1892. In answer to your letter of the 28th August, transmitting a despatch from the Governor of New Zealand proposing that the scheme by which deferred pensions are under certain conditions granted to those who served in the Crimean war and the Indian Mutiny should be extended to include soldiers who took part in the Maori war, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to inform you that, after full consideration of His Excellency's proposal, he fears that it would be impossible to extend the grant of these pensions. They were devised for the relief of those who shared in two campaigns of an exceptionally severe nature, and to extend their scope would throw a heavy burden on the Exchequer, without the same justification. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. J. C. B. Cave.

Enclosure No. 2. Sik, — Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, sth August, 1892. I have the honour to request that you will lay before Lord Knutsford, with the view of his bringing it under the consideration of the proper authority, a proposal which has been made to my Government, who have transmitted it to me for the purpose of representing it to the Imperial Government. It is understood that a concession has lately been granted to soldiers of the Imperial forces who served in the Crimean and Indian Mutiny campaigns, to the effect that, instead of requiring fourteen years to entitle a soldior to a deferred pension at the age of fifty years, ten years' service is sufficient for that purpose, so that those who only enlisted for the first period of service will now receive pensions. My Government, therefore, desire me to submit that a similar concession might be granted to soldiers who served during the Maori war, and I trust that this suggestion will meet with the approval of Her Majesty's Government. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. W. B. Peecival.

Enclosure No. 3. Sir,— . Downing Street, 19th August, 1892. In reply to your letter of the sth instant respecting grants to men who served in the Maori wars, I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you a copy of a letter from the War Office on the subject. His Lordship trusts that the explanations given in this letter will be satisfactory to the Colonial Government. I have, &c, The Agent-General, New Zealand. John Beamston.

Enclosure No. 4. Sir,— War Office, Pall Mall, 13th August, 1892. In reply to your letter of the 9th instant, transmitting a copy of a letter from the AgentGeneral of New Zealand on the subject of the grant of pensions to soldiers who served in the Crimean and Indian Mutiny campaigns, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to inform you that there appears to be a misunderstanding on the part of the New Zealand Government as to the grants in question. They are strictly of a compassionate nature, and are confined to a limited number of old and destitute men who served in wars before 1860, and who rendered at least ten years' service. They are not in any way connected with the deferred pensions granted under the Royal warrant of 1848 to men who served for fourteen years and upwards with a certain number of good-conduct badges.