EXTERNAL COLONIAL, DEFENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 5020, 18 December 1877, Page 6

EXTERNAL COLONIAL, DEFENCE.

The following is a portion of the correspondence between the Governor aud Ministers re the visit of Sir William Jervois and Colonel Scratchley.

On the -2nd November, Sir George Grey says : Ministers regret that the services -of the Hinemoa being required here, it is not in their power to send that vessel to Hobart Town, with tho view of that vessel being placed at the disposal of Sir William Jervois. On this being communicated to Sir. W. Jervois, he replies by telegram : —" Adelaide, 29th November. —Can your Government place the Hinemoa at my disposal during January to visit your ports, commencing at the Bluff." To which Sir G. Grey, in reply, informed the Governor :— "Ministers regret that the Hinemoa, as they have already said, is required for other purposes." The Governor replies to the memorandum of Ministers in which they state that the services of the Hinemoa can not be given to his Excellency for Sir William J ervois during the time he is employed iu examining aud reporting on the defences of Dunedin, Lyttelton, Wellington, and Auckland harbours, during the month cf January, as follows : —" The Governor would point out that the services of Sir William J ervois and Colonel Scratchley were obtained through the Secretary of State atthe request of the late Government on the understanding that the remuneration of Sir Wm. Jervois and Colonel Scratchley should be at the same rate as that paid by the Australian colonies. The Governor would observe that the harbours to be examined are large, and that it would be ditiieult if not impossible for the work to be properly completed without the officers employed haviug a special steamer at their disposal. The Governor would wish also to point out that some consideration is due to the position of Sir William Jervois as the Governor of a neighbouring colony visiting New Zealand, not for his own pleasure, but at the request and for the service of tho colony. The Governor would imply, from the curt answer of Ministers to the request made by Sir Wm. Jervois for the use of the Hinemoa, that they do not approve of the object for which he is about to visit the colony. Should such be the case, if Ministers will state their wishes iu writing, the Governor will at one communicate with Sir Wm. Jervois, and request him to put off his visit. But if the work is to proceed, the Governor can conceive no service on which the Hinemoa could be more properly employed, and Ministers have not informed him of any special services which would prevent liet beiug so employed. The Governor would request a reply as soon as possible, as he must communicate with Sir William Jervois at once.—lst December."

" Ministers regret that the Governor should have regarded their reply to his memorandum respecting Sir William Jervois as being curt. They wrote amidst the harry of great pressure of business, and they intended that their answer should be io every respect courteous. Ministers were not aware until they received the Governor's memorandum that it might be in their power to dispense with the visit of Sir William' Jervois to New Zealand, but the state of the finances of the colony is at present such that it is their duty to avoid expenditure wherever it is possible to do so. They fee) satisfied that New Zealand could not at this moment incur any expenditure on public works for the defence of many harbours of tlie colony. They might possibly with but little warning have to make provision for resisting an internal enemy who might prove much more dangerous than any external foe. The best meaus of providing against such an internal euemyis the expenditure o;: funds iu civilising the natives, opening up the eouutry by meaus of roads, encouraging settlement- ill native districts, and otherwise promoting friendly relations between the L ,vo races. They would therefore prefer tD apply any funds available for defensive purposes to those objects, rather than to devote such funds for costly works meant for resisting a foreign enemy. For the latter purpose they trust confidently to the fleets of Great .Britain, which they feel satisfied will never allow a foreign enemy to dominate in these seas. Under all the circumstances, therefore, whilst regretting that they cannot avail themselves of the valuable services of so distinguished an ollicer as Sir William Jervois, if it is possible, without any uncourteouaness on their part to delay his visit until a time when the colony may bo in a better financial position, Ministers would feel greatly obliged to the Governor if he would make such a communication to Sir William Jervois, as may be the means of postponing his visit to New Zealand—3rd December."

" The Governor acknowledges the receipt of Sir George Grey's memorandum of this day's date, in which Ministers, ill conaeijiumce of the financial condition of the colony, advise the Governor to communicate with Sir William Jervois, ahd to request him to postpone indefinitely his visit to New Zealand. The Governor will at once comply with the advice given to him by Ministers; but lie must, at the same time, express his deep regret that they should have felt it their duty to come to such a decision, as he fears ifc is one which is little calculated to raise the credit o the colony abroad. The fleets of Great Britain will no doubt, in the event of war, perform their duty as they have always done ; but it is manifestly impossible that England, even if she were disposed so to do, should keep sufficient ships in these seas to secure, at all times, her various possessions from the attack of small expeditions or of a single ship or privateer, and it is in the Governor's opinion clearly the duty of each colony to make such provisions as they miy consider necessary for that purpose. The question is one of public importance, and the

Governor will feel it his duty to lay this correapondence before Parliament without delay. —3rd December."