COLONIAL DEFENCES.

Press, Volume V, Issue 598, 29 September 1864, Page 3

COLONIAL DEFENCES.

The following despatch is published in the Times of last July, in a letter from their Australian correspondent. We ye not aware of having seen it in print in any New Zealand journal before. So, though it is not of Tery recent date, we reprint it. It is very important, giving the final decision of the Home Government on the whole question of military defences of the colonies, and our readers will see that the recent decision in respect to the troops in ?few Zealand is for the purpose of bringing this colony under the general rule applicable to all the Australian group. TO SIX CIIABLES DABXI>G. Sir —You are doubtless aware that the attention

of Parliament has been frequently directed to the question how far the colonies and dependencies oi Great Britain should be required to contribute \.c their own military defence. A matter of so great and incre:ising importance has, of course, equally engaged tho consideration of her Majesty's Government, and I find myself at length in a position to communicate to yon the decision at which they have arrived in regard to the Australian colonies. It is in these colonies (among which for the present purpose I do not include New Zealand) that the question arises in iU simplest form. To Western Australia it is not intended to send any regular troops. The force in Tasmania, where the effects of the old system ol transportation arc not yet worn out, will be maintained for the present at the expense of the Home Government, and in the remaining colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland there are no exceptional circumstances to prevent the free application on the part of the Home Government of those principles which arise from, or are correlative to, the grant of responsible government. That form of government being unequivocally established, it is, I imagine, admitted on all hands, that the Government has no further responsibility for maintaining the internal tranquility of the country. Its obligation, therefore, to contribute towards the defence of colonies in full possession of internal self-government, and unaffected by any exceptional circumstances of situation or population, is limited to the contingency of war and danger of war. But in the case of the Australian colonies, free from the presence of formidable native tribes, and free also as occupying a vast island from the perils to which a land frontier exposes other communities, those obligations will always be in the main sufficiently discharged by her Majesty's navy, which must form, both in peace and war, the true Imperial contribution to the security and protection of Australia. With the colonies themselves it must rest to make such other provision as they may think expedient for the defence of their own capitals and ports in the way of local land forces, together with such fortifications, floating batteries, barracks, and similar works as may be needed for the efficiency and accommodation of whatever troops may be raised in or sent to Australia. Her Majesty's Government, at the same time, are willing to furnish a certain quota of Imperial troops as a nucleus for such local forces upon condition of a fair contribution from the respective colonies towards their cost. It follows, therefore, to consider what should be the number of troops allotted, and what and how the colonies should contribute. With respect to the first point, it has been the desire of her Majesty's Government to frame such an arrangement a< would be most likely to reconcile colonial convenience with the necessities of military discipline, and with this view they propose in future to allot to the Australian colonies 15 companies of infantry, consisting of one entire regiment, and the head-quarters' wing of another regiment, in the following proportions : —

The four companies in New South Wales and the single company in Queensland will probably be a wing of a regiment, of which the other wing will be in New Zealand. Another regiment will in that case furnish the ten conmanies in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. With regard to the mode and amount of the colonial contribution, I have come to the conclusion that, in order to avoid the frequent controversies and discontents which have arisenunder the present system, it should take the shape of a single annual payment, either fixed or capable of easy ascertainment, which will of course virtually include the ' colonial allowance , hitherto provided. A fixed sum would be evidently unfair to the colonies, for as it is impossible for her Majesty's Government to guarantee under all circumstances a definite number , of troops, it would be unjust to the colony to require it to pay a certain sum for an uncertain advantage. I think, therefore, that the best course will be to require a stated annual sum, which it has been decided to place at £40 per annum for every officer or soldier of her Majesty's infantry on service in the colony, calculated upon the average of the usual monthly returns. Under this arrangement the maximum payable by each colony, including for completeness' sake Tasmania, would be as follows : —

In case the Imperial Government should allow these to fall off, the colonial contribution will be proportionately decreased. In case the Imperial Government should increase the force for its own convenience, the colonial contribution will not be increased beyond the maximum above stated. But in case the Imperial Government should, at the request of the colony, send out any infantry in excess of the above number, or any artillery whatever, the annual payment in respect to tin's extraordinary assistance will be at the rate of £70 per man, a sum which more nearly approaches the real cost to the Imperial Government of each soldier. If the different colonies should accept these terms it will rest with the Australian Governments to propose to their respective Legislatures laws authorizing the Governor, with the advice of his Executive Council, to make monthly or quarterly payments to the Imperial Government at the rate of £40 per annum upon the force employed there, such payments.however, not exceeding the respective maximum set forth in the above table. I trust that this arrangement will meet the concurrence of the different Legislatures, and will have the effect in the different colonies which it concerns of settling for some considerable period this much-vexed question. I have only to add that in cases m which it is accepted promptly, her Majesty's Government will be ready to take a liberal course in dealing with outstanding matters in dispute in respect to military expenditure. I have the honor to be, Sir, &c, Newcastle.

i Colonies. 1 I* £6 SO o r e o New South Wales... Queensland Victoria Tasmaria South Australia ... 4 1 5 3 2 about 19 3 22 11 i 6 340 88 423 166 359 91 445 260 172 Total 15 61 1266 1327

Colony K Ifew South Wales ... Victoria South Australia Tasmania Queensland Jo. of M 359 495 166 249 88 len. A innual payment £14,360 19,800 6,640 9,960 3,320 Total 1,357 £54,030