E—No. 1

No. 8. COPT OF A DESPATCH FROM GOVERNOR GORE BROWNE TO HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. Government House, Auckland, New Zealand, 13th April, 1861. Mr Lord Duke, — I have the honor to forward the copy of a letter which I have addressed to Lieut.General Cameron, c.b., together with three memoranda also forwarded to him. These documents will explain to your Grace the present state of our relations with the Waikato, the Ngatiawa, Taranaki, and Ngatiruanui tribes, and my views and those of my Responsible Advisers, in reference to the future. The amount of troops which would be required for a successful expedition against Waikato, should they positively refuse to acknowledge Her Majesty's supremacy, is a matter for General Cameron's consideration rather than mine; but I have no right to withhold from your Grace my own opinion on the subject. It is as follows, viz.: to protect Auckland, and make a successful attack upon the Waikatos and their allies in their own country, and to keep open the communications, the force should not be leas than 5000 regular troops, exclusive of those needed for the protection of the centres of population in the South. I have, &c, T. Gore Browne. His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, &c, &c.

Enclosure 1 in No. 8. THE GOVERNOR TO LIEUT.-GENERAL CAMERON, C.B. New Plymouth, 13th April, 1861. Sir, I have the honor to enolose for your information three memoranda; one by myself, another by my Responsible Advisers, and a third by the Native Secretary, upon the present state of matters with reference to the Native tribes lately engaged in hostilities against Her Majesty's troops. I have come to the conclusion that, under all the present circumstances, it is of the utmost importance that there should be a respectable force in Auckland during the negotiations I am about to undertake there. I look upon the chance of a decided success against the Taranaki and Ngat'.ruanui tribes as too doubtful, and, even if attained, the advantage to be derived from it too small, to justify the risk of impairing the prospect of success in the more important matter of Waikato. With regard to the military service required at New Plymouth, I have to request that you will make such arrangements as may be necessary to secure the safety of the town and surrounding district. I have, &c, T. Gore Browne. The Hon. Lieut.-General Cameron, C. 8., &c, &c, Waitara.

Enclosure 2 in No. 8. MINUTE BY THE GOVERNOR. New Plymouth. 13th'April, 1861. Waikato is the strength and back-bone (if the disaffection; and although these tribes have engaged in war with us wantonly and without provocation, I could not incur the responsibility of carrying the war into their own district, and entailing all its consequences upon the North Island, upon the Northern country, —until all hope of their submitting peacefully is at an end. It would be easy to state distinctly all that is required from them, give them a few days to consider the terms, and if they were not accepted, appeal to arms at once. With a civilized nation such a course would be right and proper; but with the Maoris it would be equivalent to saying, that we decline to treat with them at all. Supposing the earliest moment to be seized upon, operations against the Waikatos could not be commenced before the middle of May; the season of the year would then be so far advanced, that the difficulties would be greatly increased: swamps and rivulets, passable in summer, would require to be bridged. The roads which in summer are tracks, would become so deep as to be scarcely practicable. Supplies of all sorts, including food for sheep and cattle, would have to be sent from Auckland, as the country is covered with fern, and has little or no grass ; and this would entail a vast expense and risk of loss during winter.

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DESPATCHES FROM GOVERNOR GORE BROWNE