A.—No. 1

DESPATCHES FROM THE GOVERNOR OF NEW

26

letter which drew forth that reply; and when he transmitted these two letters to the Secretary of State for War with his complaints on the matter, he apparently did not at the same time send a copy of the letter which he wrote to me from Melbourne in relation to this correspondence. These omissions are, however, now supplied. 2. I return General Cameron's letter, with marginal notes attached to it. I am sure these will satisfy yourself and the Secretary of State for War that I have made no misrepresentations. 3. As I am at so great a distance from home, and have no opportunity of defending myself until many months have elapsed after attacks have been made upon me, I beg to be allowed to offer the following general remarks; — 4. I think that all the accusations made by General Cameron and those acting with him, such as those contained in the letter I now return, should be received with great caution. 5. It was my belief that an altogether faulty system of warfare had been pursued in this country, which had unnecessarily entailed a great loss of life, a vast amount of human suffering, an enormous and useless expenditure and waste of materials upon Great Britain and this Colony. I thought it was my duty under such circumstances to give a practical proof that more important results than had ever hitherto been attained, could be gained with a much smaller sacrifice of life, with a much smaller force, and at a very trifling cost. I think I succeeded in doing so; and all that has since taken place in this country has shown the soundness of my conclusions. No other principle has since been acted upon. 6. I feared after the large loss of life which had been incurred here, and after such vast sums had been spent, I could only succeed in my object by incurring bitter animosity, and persecutions of many kinds. I thought it my duty, however, to encounter this risk, in addition to the others I had to meet, and I shall bear the evils resulting from it with equanimity and cheerfulness. I know that I have done my duty, and that knowledge will sustain me under any attacks that may be made upon me, or under any censures or inconveniences which Her Majesty's Government may from want of information subject me to. 7. In considering generally the question of the Weraroa Pa, I trust you will remember that General Cameron considered it in January, 1865, when it was far from complete, so formidable a work that he could not attack it with less than 2000 men, and then only with great loss, and at the end of May he held the same views, believing that our loss in such an operation would be much heavier than that of the Natives. 8. General Cameron has put up with his Despatch a letter from General Waddy, to show that although the Weraroa Pa was so strongly fortified a place, the statement made by the Native Chief Pehimana that there were 600 men in it was an exaggeration, and that it was generally thought there were not more than 150 or 200 men there at the time of the attack on it. 9. To this I answer that Pehimana is the same man that wrote to tell General Cameron when he was near it that there were 1000 men in the place. I believe the exaggeration was nearly equal in each instance, but at the time the statement of 1000 men was made the works of the place were not nearly completed. 10. With regard to the number of men in the pa that forms no fair criterion of what was done; the place and 57 prisoners were taken with their arms, by a very small force without artillery; the rest of the enemy saved themselves by timely flight. To New Zealanders to have their warriors taken captive is a more disgraceful defeat than if they are slain. This was done with no loss on our side. I have, &c, The Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, M.P. G. GREY.

Enclosures,