A—No. 6

No. 10

New Zealand. ~No744."

COPT OF A DESPATCH FROM HIS GRACE THE DUKE OP NEWCASTLE TO GOVERNOR SIR GEORGE GREY, K.C.B. Downing-street, 17th May, 1862. Sir,— I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch, No. 12, of the 8th of February, forwarding a Copy of a Correspondence which had passed between Commodore Seymour and yourself, respecting the sudden withdrawal by his orders, of the Naval Force stationed at New Zealand, with a. view to its concentration at Sydney, in anticipation of war being proclaimed between this country and the Federal States of North America, and enclosing a Memorandum on the subject which had been drawn up by your Responsible Advisers. I see no reason to doubt that Captain Seymour exercised a wise discretion in placing himself in a position to act with effect for the protection of British commerce, or otherwise, the moment that he should learn that war had been absolutely declared. The Imperial Government has hitherto freely aided the Colonists of New Zealand in their conflict with the Natives, or rather hss as yet taken upon itself with comparatively trifling assistance from the Colonists, the expense and responsibility of carrying on that conflict. So long, however, as the inhabitants of New Zealand rely for their defence upon aid furnished by the Mother Country, they must remain subject to the possibility that that aid may be suddenly withdrawn or diminished in consequence of Imperial exigencies. The disposition of Her Majesty's Government to withdraw that aid would of course be materially increased if it appeared that the effect of giving it was to diminish the inclination of the Colonists to make sacrifices for their own protection, and I have already in my Despatch of the 26th ultimo, No. 37, had occasion to express my surprise at learning from the Secretary of State for War, that the annual training of the Militia Force, as required by local ordinance, has been dispensed with. If your Responsible Advisers and yourself are really of opinion, as would seem to be the case, that Imperial aid is not worth having, if it is to be withdrawn when the interests of the Empire are at stake, Her Majesty's Government will readily give instructions for the removal of any amount of Military or Naval Force which the Colonists feel that they can dispense with. You state in your Despatch, that Commodore Seymour has informed you that the Board of Admiralty have issued an Order, which will effectually prevent a .Naval Brigade from again serving on shore in New Zealand. I collect, however, from a letter which I have received from their Lordships, that their orders against the habitual employment of this Force did not extend to cases of great emergency, but that sailors may still be employed on land on urgent applications for aid being addressed to the Naval Officer in command by yourself or by the Commander-in-chief. I have, &c, Newcastle. Governor Sir George Grey, &c, &c, &c.

No. 11.

copy of a DESPATH from his grace the duke of Newcastle to goternor sir GEORGE GREY, K.C.B. Downing-ntreet, 20th May, 1862. Sir,— I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch, No 23, of the Bth March, in which adverting to your previous Despatch No. 12, calling attention to the inconvenience attendiug the sudden withdrawal from the New Zealand Station to Sydney, of all Her Majesty's vessels, with the exception of the " Fawn," you suggest whether it would not he proper that some means should be provided during the present disturbed state of the Colony, by which the Governor could move at any time from point to point, wherever his presence may be required. I have to observe in reply that, however much the Commanders of Her Majesty's ships may desire lo facilitate the movements of Governors of Colonies, their power to do so must often depend on circumstances independent of the events of the Colony, and the only certain way of obviating the inconvenience of which you complain would be by the maintenance of a vessel at the cost of the Colony. I have, &c, Newcastlk. Governor Sir George Grey, &c, &c, &c.

New Zealand. No. 50.

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO MILITARY DEFENCE. 10a