E.—No. 2.

the plan should be modified, so far as may be necessary; but they are still of opinion that it would be desirable, if practicable, that it should be carried out in its integrity. "With regard to the Colonial Forces which will be available for the future in the Auckland Province, Ministers have to state that they have afforded the men of the Auckland Town Militia an opportunity of providing substitutes, by bringing men, at their expense, from the Australian Colonies. A considerable number have already availed themselves of that privilege, which has very much reduced the Force, and the Town Militia must therefore, for the future, be considered as not available for any duty beyond supplying the Town Garrison in an emergency. The substitutes have been formed into the 4th Waikato Eegiment. The Waikato Regiments of Militia, of whom about 1,000 men were enlisted from the Auckland district, and were originally intended as substitutes for the Town Militia, now number upwards of 4,000 men, of whom about 300 have arrived within the last ten days. Ministers will endeavour to keep this Force in a state of efficiency for service whenever it may be required. Fredk. Whitakeb. sth March, 1864. MEMORANDA AND CORRESPONDENCE ON THE SUBJECT OF RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT. No. 1. MEMORANDUM by Mixisteks as to Responsible Government. The Governor's Responsible Advisers have to thank His Excellency for submitting to their perusal Hia Despatch of the 17th December, 1863, intended to be transmitted to the Secretary of State by the next mail. The Governor in this Despatch requests the instructions of the Secretary of State as to the confiscation of Native Lands, —and, at the same time states, that, until these instructions re.ich him, he shall act in the matter as lie may think Her Majesty's interests require. Ministers cannot but see that it is possible that the result of such instructions may be the resumption of that control in Native affairs which has been recently abandoned by the Imperial Government, and been undertaken on their requirement by the General Assembly of New Zealand, —and, moreover, that until these instructions arrive, it is the Governor's intention to act as he may think fit. Responsibility can of course, rest only where the power exists. Ministers are, of course, fully aware of the difficulty, under existing circumstances, of dealing with questions of this kind. While, therefore, on the one hand, they desire to guard against being considered as acquiescing in His Excellency's views, they do not deem it their duty to do more at present than to reserve themselves the right of being considered unprejudiced, as Ministers Responsible to the General Assembly and Colony, in dealing with any question which may practically arise in the management of Native affairs. Ministers think it right to observe that the views His Excellency speaks of, as entertained in reference to a magnificent and extensive territory being thrown open to any amount of prosperous colonisation are, as stated by His Excellency, those of writers of articles (which Ministers have not seen) in the local papers, and not those of 'his Responsible Advisers, or of the General Assembly, or, as Ministers believe, of the Colonists generally. The general views which Ministers entertain may be gathered from the Memorandum of 31st July, 1863, on the subject, which has already been forwarded to His Grace by His Excellency, with a Despatch. Feedk. \V hitakeb. Auckland, 29th December, 1863. Enclosure. COPY of a Despatch from Goyebxob Gkei- to His Grace the Duke or Newcastle. Government House, 17th December, 1868. Mb Lord Duke, — I understand that some uneasiness exists in the public mind hero, from the opinion being entertained that I may not, in the confiscation of the lands of those Natives who have been engaged in the present war, go so far as some of the settlers think proper and desirable. 2. Under these circumstances, I request your Grace will advise me, whether, in assenting to the confiscation of these lands, I am, as of course to assent to any advice that my Responsible Advisors may tender to me ; or whether your Grace proposes to issue any special instructions to me on the subject; or generally, what course you wish me to pursue iv regard to it.

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PAPERS RELATIVE TO NATIVE AFFAIRS.