A.—No. la,

48

DESPATCHES EROM THE GOVERNOR OF NEW

Enclosure 2 in No. 25. Major-General Chute to Governor Sir George Gret, K.C.B. Sir, — Head Quarters, Auckland, sth March, 1867. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's letter of the 19th ultimo,, and I regret exceedingly that your Excellency should have declined to express any opinion on the questions which, in the simple discharge of an unavoidable duty, I asked in my letter of the 7th ultimo, relative to the location of the 2-18th Begiment, and the left wing of the 50th Begiment, on their withdrawal from the outposts in the Wanganui and Taranaki Districts. Your Excellency will perceive by my letter of this date, No. 43-67, that the War Office Despatch, of the 31st December, received by the last mail, disposes of the question concerning the left wing of the 50th Eegiment. With regard to the 2-18th Eegiment, I beg your Excellency's consideration of the following facts :— 1. This regiment, distributed as it is at present in the outposts of the Wanganui District, is dependent on the presence of the two troops Military Train for their supply. 2. The Military Train is one of the corps for whose embarkation for England, without unnecessary delay, I am now, as your Excellency is aware, individually responsible. 3. The detention of the two troops at Wanganui would be the only obstacle to the embarkation of the corps, and I am compelled therefore to withdraw those troops, and it will be necessary that they should be withdrawn from transport duty not later than the 15th April, in order that they may embark with their corps in May, by which time I am instructing the Besident Transport Officer to provide tonnage. 4. By tho terms of Lord Carnarvon's Despatch of Ist December, and the War Office Letter of the same date, I am positively ordered not to consent to the location of the 2-18th Begiment in places where the usual requirements of barrack accommodation and other necessities to the welfare and discipline of the troops are wanting; and I would very respectfully inform your Excellency that, looking to the nature of the accommodation of the 2-18th at the various posts they now occupy, and the length of time they have been stationed in them, I am unable to give my consent to the continuance of their present location. 5. On the removal of the Military Train, I am unable, under the instructions conveyed to me in War Office Letter of the 26th December, 1865, a copy of which was forwarded in my letter No. 61-66, of the 17th March, 1866, to incur any expense for inland transport. For all these reasons, I entreat your Excellency to favour me, without delay, with instructions for the distribution of the 18th Begiment, as already requested. I propose leaving Auckland for Wellington on the 12th instant, by which time I am led to believe your Excellency may be expected at the Seat of Government. I have, &c, His Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C.B. T. Chute, Major-General.

Enclosure 3 in No. 25. Governor Sir George Gret, K.C.8., to Major-General Chute. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, Ist April, 1867. I had the honor on my arrival at Wellington, late on the 26th of March, of receiving your letter dated Auckland, the sth of March. In your letter to me of the 7th February, you intimated that you would only permit the 18th Begiment to be stationed in principal towns in this Colony. In your letter of the sth March, you inform me without my having been previously asked a single question upon the subject, that you will not give your consent to the continuance of the 18th Begiment in their present location, and you then intreat me without delay to favour you with instructions for the distribution of that regiment. In a letter I have received from you this morning, you inform me that, without waiting for the instructions for which you had asked, you should order all the detachments of the 18th Begiment to be withdrawn and concentrated in Wanganui, and this, although on the 28th ultimo, I told you I was in communication with my Besponsible Advisers regarding the 18th Begiment, and would address you on the subject at as early a date as possible. You also acquaint me with your intention immediately to return to Auckland. I regard, I am very sorry to say, your proceedings in relation to the movement of the troops, as having been, in important respects, unconstitutional, and dangerous to the interests of Her Majesty's subjects in New Zealand, whilst they appear to be in no respect advantageous to Great Britain, or necessary for the complete and prompt fulfilment of the instructions under which you are now, or have been acting. You have also, notwithstanding my positive directions to the contrary, and my earnest entreaties, persisted in constantly residing at a distance from the Seat of Government, thereby depriving me of that assistance which it was your duty to render me, and which was necessary to enable to perform my own duties efficiently. Under such circumstances I think it better for the public service to decline to take any responsibility whatever regarding the movements of troops in this command until I am again permitted by the senior military officer to exercise those powers which Her Majesty has been pleased to confide to me ; and I am confirmed in this decision by the belief that the existing state of things will soon be in some manner terminated by Her Majesty's Government, as well as by the fact that my Besponsible Advisers have informed me that this Colony cannot agree to the conditions on which alone the 18th Begiment was to be permitted to be retained here. I have, &c, The Hon. Major-General Chute. G. Gret.