D—No. 5

Secretary of State to His Excellency the Governsr, 4th Dec, U'6l. Secretary of State to His Excellency the Governor, 20th January, lilHi. Commodore Seymour to His Excellency the Governor, 18th April, 1162.

No. 6. 75 THE SUPERINTENDENT, AUCKLAND, TO COLONIAL SECRETARY. Superintendent's Office, Auckland, 24th May, 1862; Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter No. 480, of date 19th May, instant, covering copies of the papers noted in the margin, relative to the Desertion of Seamen from H. M.'s Navy, and requesting to be furnished with any information which I might think it right to record in regard to the charges of neglect of duty made by Commodore Seymour against the Police at Auckland. The papers having been referred to the Commissioner of Police, I enclose copy of reply of that Officer. It does not appear that the allegations of Commodore Seymour, in so far at least as this Province is concerned, suffice either to account for the determination at which he himself appears to have arrived to remain at Sydney, or to make it clear th.it H. M.'s Ships are subject to greater loss of by men desertion in this Colony than in the Ports of Australia. I have, &c. Daniel Pollen, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, For the Superintendent. Auckland.

Srcretary nf State to His Excellency the Governor, 4tli Dec, 1881. Secretary of Slate to His Excellency trie CfOvernor, 80th January, 1808. Commodore Seymour to Mis Excellency the Governor, 18th April, 180-2.

* This correspondence is not punted, being of ft print! nature.

Enclosure in No. 6. REPLY TO COMMODORE SEYMOUR'S COMPLAINTS AGAINST AUCKLAND POLICE. Armed Police Office, Auckland, May 23rd, 1862, Sip.,— With reference to the letter addressed to your Plonor by the Honorable the Colonial Secretary covering copies of the papers noted in the margin, relative to the Desertion in New Zealand, of Seamen from Her Majesty's Navy, I beg to state that having perused the documents as directed by your Honor, I am obliged to regard the series of mis-statement 3 and assertions made by Commodore Seymour in his communications to the Admiralty and to His Excellency Sir George Grey, as mere attempts on his part to transfer the blame, properly attributable to himself and to those under his command, to the shoulders of the Police; and I am sure that the whole matter would scarcely be worth noticing, were it not that Commodore Seymour's letters may yet meet with pfirusal where no knowledge of the character or general efficiency of the Auckland Police could possibly exist. I take leave to subjoin, for your Honor's information, copy of a correspondence* which took place in October last between the Commodore and myself, in which it will be seen that I very distinctly pointed out to the Commodore the inaccuracy of the opinions entertained by him at that time respecting the Police, and also explained the difficulties to be contended with in this Colony in capturing deserters, owing to the facilities for eluding vigilance of the Police as compared with the other Colonies. It is worthy of note, that so completely did my communications on this occasion convince him of the fallacy of his opinions, that in a very few days afterwards he felt himself in a position to write to the Home Authorities expressing his happiness at the improved state of the Force. I also subjoin a copy of a letter addressed by me to Commodore Loring, by which it will be seen that the Police, in aiding the Naval branch of Her Majesty's Service, did not confine their assistance and advice to the capture of runaway sailors only, but also brought to their notice other species of misconduct which, if left unnoticed and unchecked, would surely have brought discredit on their honourable profession. I also annex a copy of a letter to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, containing suggestions for the preservation of order on the Race Course; lest, as was feared at the time, a collision should take place between the sailors and the Natives: and I further annex a copy of a letter addressed to your Honor, proffering all the assistance in my power to Commander Cator. These letters speak for themselves, and are undeniable proofs of the desire of the Auckland Police to co-operate with and assist the Naval Authorities on all occasions. The Commodore states in his letter to His Excellency Sir George Grey, that only in two instances deserters have been apprehended in the bush by the Police, and cites the case of a man being employed within six miles of Auckland. I would be unwilling to say that a gentleman, holding a high position such as the Commodore, would make a wilful mis-statement; but as will be seen in a correspondence between himself and me, above alluded to, I have had before to challenge the correctness of his assertions, and was willing then, as I am now, to suppose that he was led to make such reckless statements by the false and imperfect information with which he too readily permits himself to be supplied. The Police have repeatedly, very repeatedly, apprehended deserters in the bush, and many of them more than (50) fifty miles from Auckland, after long and wearisome journeys; and I must here complain of the unsatisfactory mode adopted by the Naval Authorities of reporting absentees, whereby the Police are deprived of the chance of capturing deserters in or near the town. A reward is generally offered, and the ship's corporal, or some such functionary, usually hawks the report about town in order to pick up as many of the men as he can; and when satisfied that there are others out of reach, some of them perhaps more than 20 miles away, the matter is handed over to the Police. This prac-

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