Colonial Defence Office Wellington Jan. 18th. 1869 Sir, The Superintendent of Hawke's Bay, Agent of the General Government, has forwarded to the Defence Minister, a letter addressed to him, by you, dated Wairoa, December 12th., in which you complain of Mr. Burton having been applied to direct by His Honour, for certain information relative to a duty upon which he had been engaged by you, and remark that such action tends to weaken your authority, and cannot but be injurious to the Public Service. I am directed to inform you that the Defence Minister cannot consider that there was anything disciurteous to yourself, or injurious to the Public Service, in His Honor, who is Agent for the General Government, applying direct to Mr. Burton for information, after he had ceased to be under your orders. With regard to Mr. Worgan, the Defence Minister is of opinion that you were not justified in instructing him to send all communications for the Government Agent through you. It was Mr.