».—No. 2,

MILITARY OPERATIONS. No. 1. MEMORANDUM by the Goveksob as to future operations. The Governor lias received a letter from the General, requesting him to state what his viewß areas to the General's future operations, and how much further it is proposed the force under his command should advance into the country. ..■,.-. i. •« ■ -.i The General states that, in as far as he can learn, it would be difhcult, it not impossible, for him to occupy the- line between Rangiawhia aud Mangatautari, but that he could take possession of Ahuta where he believes the pah has been abandoned by the Natives, and of Kirikiriroa, where, in his opinion the Government would have more land tt>an it can occupy with settlers for years to come. The General is at present having a redoubt constructed at Rangiawhia, as he believes it is wished that the troops should hold that place. The Generalalso proposes to construct a redoubt at Kihikihi Eewi's village. He is also constructing a redoubt, of a large size, at Te Awamutu, as that place must be a depot of supply. . . The Lieutenant-General is anxious for a speedy answer to the questions he has raised, and the Governor requests the advice of his Responsible Ministers regarding them. The General, in the meantime, has ordered that the materials for constructing huts for 3000 (three thousand) men should be at once purchased, as it will be necessary to put the troops under cover during the winter. G. Gbkt. February 27th, 18&1. No. 2. MEMORANDUM by Mi>istebs in reply. 1. The Governor's Responsible Advisers have given a careful consideration to the subject of His Excellency's minute of this date. 2. Ministers do not propose that the force under the General's command should advance further into the country, with a view to keep possession of it. The Government may now have " more land than it can occupy with settlers for years to come," but the primary object to bo attained by military operations is. not the acquisition of country, but to reduce the Natives to submission, and to take and keep possession of land so far only as it may be auxiliary to that object, and necessary to secure permanently the country from future rebellion, by the location of military settlers in convenient districts,— not to the exclusion of the native inhabitants, but in conjunction with them. 3. Ministers approve of the General's proposal to hold possession of Awamutu, Rangiawhia, and Kihikihi. They do not think it necessary that the line between Rangiawhia and Maungatautari should be occupied, but they deem it of the first" importance that a position as far up the Waikato as is conveniently navigable by steam-boats, should be taken and held. It does not however appear to them, with their present information, that Kihikihiroa is the most eligible site for the purpose, especially keeping iv view the desirability of cutting off the sources from which the enemy derive their supplies. 1. Ministers have" always considered that the want of supplies, if nothing else, would eventually bring the Natives to terms, and they deem it essential that every effort in that direction should be made to deprive them of the means of carrying on the war. Ministers believe that the rebel Natives have their main stock of stores which they now possess at Maungntaiuaii. and extensive crops, ready for gathering, near the banks of the Waikato, and Ministers advise that, if practicable, as it may be by way of the river, that the rebels should be deprived of these supplies. With the same object all the crops within reach of the position now held by the General's forces should be dealt with in like manner. 5. Ministers propose to commence "without delay to establish military settlements in cowrenieni localities, if there is no objection on military grounds to such a course. FIiEDK. WIIITAKEH. 27th February, 1864. No. 3. MEMORANDUM by Mi>istees as to future Military operations. Ministers beg respectfully to express their concurrence in the proposal of His Excellency the Governor to visit the General at his Head Quarters, with a view to confer with him as to future military operations, especially with reference to the number of positions it may be considered desirable and practicable to hold in the Waikato district. Ministers have fully explained their views in their Memorandum of the 27th of February. In explanation, they wish to add that it is, in their opinion, indispensable that the General should have at command a strong force, available for operations anywhere it may be thought expedient to use it. If, therefore, the carrying out of their views in full would render this impracticable, they desire that

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PAPERS 11EIATIVE TO NATIVE APE AIRS.