A.—No. 4,

My own impression is that the plan of patrolling alluded to would not obtain the purposed end, and that the Natives would return embittered against us when the patrolling ceased. I have not, however, at any time sanctioned operations being carried on for the professed attainment of such an end as driving the Natives permanently into the interior, for I believe, as I have before stated to you, that once the Natives come to terms, they return to friendly relations with us much more speedily than you could suppose. I have no doubt that once a peace is brought about, the two populations will very soon be found living together again on friendly terms. I need hardly say that I quite concur in your views that bodies of men specially selected and suitably armed and equipped are better adapted than regular troops for an irregular warfare ; as also that those forces should be employed in small bodies, for, to the extent of our means, this principle has been recognized and steadily acted on since the first war in the year 1845. I have, Ac, Lieut.-General Sir D. A. Cameron, K.C.B. G. Grey. No. 101. His Excellency the Governor to Lieut-General Sir D. A. Cameron. Sir, — Government House, Auckland, May 12th, 1865. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, in which you .ask to be informed why I wished an additional reinforcement of 150 men (making a total of 400 men) to be sent to Colonel Warre. In reply, I have the honor to state that in your letter of the 14th ultimo, you suggested to me that a sufficient number of men might be collected to occupy Te Namu, without reducing the moveable column below 800 men, and a portioii of this column might be temporarily detached to New Plymouth to enable Colonel Warre to march to Te Namu. In your letter of the Ist instant, you informed me —" The remainder of General Waddy's column, amounting to rather more than the same number (400 men) might be detached for service at Taranaki as mentioned in your letter of the 14th of April. In asking therefore that Colonel Warre should be reinforced to the extent of 400 men, I imagined I was acting on your own suggestion, which met the wishes I had previously expressed to you. I have no information why Colonel Warre occupied a post at the White Cliffs. But I have received information that a party of the Kawhia Natives intended at the time he did so to march by that route for the purpose of aiding the rebels against us in the south. It has also been long intended to occupy that position as being one of the most important points in the country. I can only presume these reasons led Colonel Warre at that moment to make so judicious and important a movement. I have received no information regarding the occupation of Te Namu, excepting a private note from Colonel Warre, and have no knowledge by whose orders Colonel Warre occupied it. He however in doing so anticipated orders which had been actually given, although he appears from your letter not to have received them, and I believe that the two most important movements ho has so skillfully and successfully made will go very far to bring to a close the war which has so long prevailed in the Taranaki district. I have, Ac, Lieut.-General Sir D. A. Cameron, K.C.B. G. Grey. No. 102. Lieut.-General Sir D. A. Cameron to His Excellency the Governor. Sir,— Head Quarters, Auckland, 13th May, 1865. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's letter of yesterday, in reply to mine of the same date. With reference to the first paragraph, I have only to say, that the occupation of the line of coast between Wanganui and Taranaki was first proposed to me by your Excellency, and that you intimated to me as your wish, that I should proceed with that occupation, notwithstanding my having explained that I did not consider the force at my disposal sufficient to carry it out completely. I adhere to my statement that those instructions virtually set aside your previous instructions of the 16th December, and rendered their fulfilment at that time impossible. I do not think that the second paragraph of your Excellency's letter calls for any reply. In reference to that part of your Excellency's letter which relates to the reduction of the force, I find it difficult to comprehend your Excellency's exact opinion as to the largo discretionary power, which you stated in your letter of the 11th instant, was given me by the Secretary of State for War. I beg however to inform you, that the 65th Eegiment may, in my opinion, be embarked for England with safety, and without endangering the results which it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to secure (as I understand them), as soon as tonnage can be provided. Immediately after the embarkation of the 65th, a second regiment may, in my opinion, be withdrawn from the Colony, unless some unforseen emergency should arise; but to carry out this further reduction, it will be necessary to withdraw the regular troops from the positions they occupy beyond the Patea. I have therefore to request your Excellency will inform me whether there is in your opinion, any reason why these arrangements should not be carried into effect. I wait to recommend any further immediate reduction, until I hear from your Excellency what measures the Colonial Government are taking to facilitate the withdrawal of the troops. I have, Ac, D. A. Cameron, His Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C.B. Lieut.-General. X

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GOVERiVOIi ANIi LIE ul.-GENERAL- CAMERON.