War Office, April 23, 1869.

Otago Witness, Issue 920, 17 July 1869, Page 4

War Office, April 23, 1869.

Sir— l am direotod by Mr Secretary Card* well to acknowledge reoaipfc of your letter of the Ist alt, upon the subject of tho with* drawal from New Zealand of a portion of the a«oond battalion 18th Regiment, and in reply to convey to you his approval of the steps wbioh you have taken in this matter. On the reodpt howover of this oommuntoatioa you will at onoe, should you not hava already done so, tako mtaanres in ooneert with u» Major naval oftosr 09 ths attgoa

for the removal of the remaining wing of the second battalion 18th Regiment: from New Zealand, according to your original instructions, to relieve the second battalion 14th Regiment which should be sent hom«.* You will give to the men of the latter regiment the option of volunteering into the second battalion 18th to the extent of raising the strength of that regiment to 790 rack and file. The men go volunteering receiving the übu»l bounty of one guinea. I am to transmit for your information and guidance the enclosed copy of a letter wbioh baa been addressed to the Horse Guard*, under date the 23rd ult, upon the subject of the redistribution of the troops to be left in the Australian Colonies — I am &c,

Edward Luoard. The Major-General Commanding, Melbourne.