A..—No. 6

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DESPATCHES FROM THE RIGHT HON. E. CARDWELL, M.P.,

possible, consistently with the safe execution of my instructions to you. On your part you wil confine your requirements, for the assistance of General Cameron, within the limits which I have prescribed. I have, &c, Governor Sir George Grey, X.C.8., Edward Cardwell. &c, &c, &c.

No. 24. No. 29. Downing Street, 26th April, 1865. Sir, — I transmit to you herewith for your own information and for that of your Responsible Advisers a copy of a letter from the War Office with reference to the Colonial Secretary's minute forwarded in your despatch of the 7th of January, No. 16, in which application is made for permission to enlist for service in a Colonial Defence Force, a number of men, not exceeding 1500 from the Queen's Regiments now in New Zealand. I have, &c, Governor Sir George Grey, X.C.8., Edward Cardwell. &c, &c, &c.

Enclosure in No. 24. SIE E. LTTGABD TO SIE F EOOEES. War Office, 26th April, 1865. Sir, — I have received your letter of the 21st ultimo, together with its enclosure from the Governor of New Zealand, submitting a proposal that the Local Government may be permitted to enlist a number of men, not exceeding 1,500, from the Queen's Regiments now serving in the Colony, in order that they may enter into a Colonial Force which it is proposed to raise. In reply, I am to request that you will acquaint Mr. Secretary Cardwell that Lord De Grey is unable to express a definite opinion upon the subject, until he is in possession of the details of the scheme promised in tho letter from Sir George Grey to Sir Duncan Cameron, which is includel among the enclosures to the Despatch from Sir Duncan Cameron transmitted to the Colonial Office on the 27th ultimo. At present, therefore, Lord De Grey must confine himself to placing before Mr. Cardwell a few general considerations as to the mode in which the object which the Colonial Government appear to have in view, may best be carried out. If the force which the Colonial Government contemplate, is to be formed on the principlo of a Militia, or of a body of Military settlers embodied during time of war, but returning to civil occupations, or to the cultivation of their allotments of land, when tranquility is restored, although subject to such periods of annual training as tho locil Government may think fit to prescribe, the principles upon which it is desirable that such forces should be organized are so well known as to render it unnecessary to recapitulate them here, and I am therefore only to request that you will inform Mr. Secretary Cardwell that Sir Duncan Cameron has already received orders, which will be repeated by this mail, to afford eucouragement to the men serviug in the Regiments about to leave the Colony to take their discharges with a view to join any Military bodies of that description which may exist or may be formed in New Zealand. If, however, the force which the Local Government desire to raise is intended to be of a more permanent character, resembling the Special Colonial Corps which exist in some of the Colonies, rather than Militia or Military Settlers, [ am directod to point out to you that these Colonial Corps, such as the Canadian Rifles, the Cape Mounted Riflemen, &c„ form part of Her Majesty's Regular Forces, and are under the same dicipline and military authority as the rest of the troops. They are in practice, not removed from the Colonies to which they belong, but, as iv the instances which already exist, they are paid from Imperial funds, there is no engagement with the Colony not to remove them. In the case of New Zealand, however, the entire expense of the force now proposed to be raised is to be borne by the Colony, and it would therefore be expected that it should be clearly understood that it is to remain in the Colony, aud to be employed for Colonial purposes. To this arrangement Lord de Grey sees no objection. The officers of the Colonial Corps now in existence receive their commissions, like all officers of the permanent forces of Her Majesty, from tho Queen, and are recommended for appointment by the Commander-in-Chief. On this point Lord de Grey has been in communication with the Field Marshal Commauding-iu-Chief, and he has reason to believe that His