THE Wellington Independent "NOTHING EXTENUATE; OR SET DOWN AUGHT IN MALICE." THURSDAY MORNING, 29th OCTOBER. REINFORCEMENTS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1976, 29 October 1863, Page 2

THE Wellington Independent "NOTHING EXTENUATE; OR SET DOWN AUGHT IN MALICE." THURSDAY MORNING, 29th OCTOBER. REINFORCEMENTS.

The following despatch applying for reinforcements will be read with interest. The ready compliance of the Home Government with its spirit — substituting Europeans for Sikhs—is a satisfactory indication of the altered view to which we have already alluded as having taken place in the Cabinet at Home.

"Taranaki, May 9, 1863. "My Lord Duke, — From other despatches which I have sent hone by this mail, Your Grace will learn that a very serious state of things has arisen in the Northern Island of New Zealand, and that there is great reason to apprehend that a general using of the native population may shortly take place, for the purpose of making a simultaneous attack upon the several centres of European population with a view to the total expulsion of the white race from tfiis Island,

2. lam quite satisfied that such a plot has been formed by a large number of influential natives, as also that they are now busily engaged in trying to carry it into effect. I still hope that they will fail in conducting it on such a huge scale as they propose, but I believe the danger to be of a very serious and alarming kind, which may lead to a rast destruction of life and property. 3. To meet this danger the promptest measures must be taken, and my Responsible Advisers concur in opinion with me, that the force in this country in addition to the Regiment now coming out, the 2nd Battalion 18th RegimeDt, will require without delay to be increased by about three thousand men. 4. It has been found from a long experience that there are parts of this conntry in which European troops carry on a war with difficulty, being neither fitted by previous training, equipment, or habits of subsistence, for a war fare of the nature of that in which they are necessarily engaged, and it has been the general opinion of officers who have served in ! India that Sikhs would be belter qualified than any other troops to perform the military duties required in New Zealand, 5. I represented this to my responsible Ad visers, and they have authorised me to apply to Your Grace in order, in the preseut most serious state of affairs, that one European regiment and two regiments of Sikhs should be sent from India to New Zealand with as little delay as possible. 6. My Responsible Advisers think that the pay af the Sikhs should be doubled, and they undertake certainly to defray the increased rate of pay, which wili thus be given, statifig further that they thiuk this object of such great importance, that they undertake to propose to ' the House of Assembly at its next meeting, that the Colony should bear the cost of the whole pay of the Sikhs. 7. I can assure Your Grace that I think that the reinforcements asked for should be sent as promptly as possible, lor much will depend upon the despatch with which they reach this Island.

I have the honor to be, 4c c,

G. Obey. His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, K.G.