A.—No. 5.

written to you is quite true). All I think is, that peace is made, —pausing (or I rest), —a breathing from the weariness and fatigue of working this evil work (war); that is, the weapons of Tv (war) have been cast down and thrown away (from us). lam sleeping (at peace) and the arms (I and the arms are at peace), the nose (edge or point) of the weapon is sleeping, is turned away, and all of that. This is a thought of mine. I heard the report of the cannon on the night of the 20th June, at nine o'clock. Friend, —send back the Europeans who are dwelling at Te Puna. I thought as the (these or my) implements of war are sleeping (at peace), that those arms should sleep also (likewise). Friend, —An enemy for whom are the soldiers and the barracks which are standing (stationed) at Te Puna? Peace being made, for whom indeed are these the enemy? (meaning—what are those soldiers stationed, and that barrack or redoubt erected at Te Puna for? Who are they to fight against? Peace having been made, there is no person for them to fight). O (Sir George) Grey, send back those soldiers, do not leave them; this is all my word of this time. From your friend, His Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C.B. Na W. T. Wahaeoa. No. 56. His Excellency the Governor to the Eight Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Sir, — Government House, "Wellington, 10th July, 1865. I have had the honor to state in previous Despatches that the only positions left in the possession of the rebel Natives between Wanganui and Taranaki were that at Weraroa and some others near Warea, on the Taranaki side. I have now the honor to enclose a copy of a letter I have received from Sir D. Cameron, transmitting a report from Colonel Warre, C.8., containing the particulars of an attack made by a force under his command on the positions near Warea. 2. You will be glad to learn that this attack, which was gallantly made and skilfully planned, was entirely successful, and that the positions were all taken without any casualty on our side. 3. I feel sure that a consideration of what has recently been accomplished by Colonel Warre, C.8., will fully show that if, as I requested, he had been allowed to advance from Taranaki at the same time that Sir D. Cameron began his march from Wanganui, the war in New Zealand would long ere this have been entirely at an end, and that a vast expenditure would have been saved to Great Britain and the Colony. I have, &c., The Eight Hon. Edward Cardwell, M.P. G. Grey. No. 57. His Excellency the Governor to the Eight Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 10th July, 18G5. I have the honor to state that I propose to endeavour to comply with the expectations you have expressed to me in your Despatch No. 20 of the 27th of March last, by affording explanations as to the discrepancies between my Despatches to yourself and those of Sir D. Cameron to the Secretary of State for War. 2. I shall, however, be compelled to give these explanations under circumstances of singular disadvantage, inasmuch as I have never seen Sir D. Cameron's Despatches, and have no knowledge of their contents except such as I can gather inferentially and obscurely from your Despatch No. 20 of the 27th of March. From the enclosed correspondence you will find that Sir D. Cameron will not furnish me with copies of his Despatches to which you have referred me ; and even if I were in possession of these, I should probably know but part of the grounds on which Her Majesty's Government have formed their opinions and based their instructions to me, as I should still be left in ignorance of the contents of those confidential communications unfavorable to myself, which he now states that Her Majesty's Government have from time to time received from him. 3. I beg before proceeding to give the explanations I am thus expected to furnish, to point out how extremely undesirable it is that the system of secret correspondence thus introduced into the public service should be allowed to continue. 4. The Government and people of this Colony have made really vast efforts to aid Great Britain in the suppression of the existing rebellion here, and in placing the country in a state of security for the future. 5. To promote these objects, they have raised large sums of money and considerable bodies of men ; they have given their own services for the purpose, and some of them have laid down their lives ; they have also purchased and maintained steamers and other vessels, and have incurred a large permanent debt. From the enclosed return you will find that in the Wanganui District alone they are, in order to aid Sir D. Cameron in his operations, incurring an expenditure at the rate of £79,896 per annum. 6. It would therefore I think be reasonable to suppose —that, in consideration of their losses and sacrifices, and their vital interest in tho question —that, if the General Officer could suggest any plan of operations which would bring tho war to a speedy termination ; or if he could shew any errors in tho system of operations that was being pursued, or suggest any improvements in it, he should, for the interest of Her Majesty's subjects here, at once, on the spot, communicate them to the local authorities, so that his suggestions, if they were good, might be without delay adopted. '7. The Governor is also injured by such suggestions being withheld from him if they are good, for, he is in that case directing that operations^should be carried on upon a faulty system, whilst the means of amending this error are at hand in the possession of his proper Adviser and are'withheld from him at a fearful sacrifice to the public interests, which have during the delay which takes place been continuously conducted on an erroneous system. 8. A great injury is also inflicted on Her Majesty's Government; too probably the suggestions of

No. 85. VideN.Z.Qazeiic, 1865, No. 25, pp. 224-25.

No. BC.

Tide A. No, 4.

Enclosure JTo. 1.

58

DESPATCHES FROM THE GOVERNOR OF NEW