A.—No. Ib,
PAPERS RELATIVE TO STATEMENTS MADE BY COLONEL WEARE, C.B.
No. 1. Copt of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, M.P., to Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B. (Confidential.) Sir,— Downing Street, 26th March, 1866. I enclose the copy of a letter which I have found myself most reluctantly obliged to address to the War Office. I think it necessary to communicate to you confidentially the allegation it contains that General Chute had declared that the Colonial Government did not want the expense of prisoners. It is due to Colonel Weare that I should repeat to you what is stated in the letter addressed by my directions to the War Office, that it was not at his desire that the statements made by him in a private letter were communicated to me. I rely on you to take care that every effort shall be made by the officers and men of Her Majesty's Colonial Forces to secure the observance of all the humane usages of civilized warfare so long as any military operations continue; and that more especially now, when the services of the friendly Natives are rendered so available on the side of order. I have, &c, Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B. EDWARD CARDWELL.
March 20, 1866.
Enclosure in No. 1. Sir F. Rooees to Sir E. Lugard. Sie,— Downing Street, 20th March, 1866. I am directed by Mr. Cardwell to state, for the information of Lord Hartington, that he has been informed that officers serving on the West Coast of New Zealand have received a semi-official notification through the Staff of General Chute that the General does not wish any prisoners to be taken, and that the General himself has stated that the Colonial Government does not want the expense of prisoners. Two particular cases are alleged in which Maoris have been deliberately put to death in presumed compliance with this notification. The one case was that of a wounded man shot by soldiers of the 14th, after an officer had directed that he should be left alone. The other was the case of an old man who was shot after having been taken and feasted with an old woman who escaped. It is also stated that barbarities are perpetrated by the Native allies with the knowledge of our troops —two Natives, it is said, having been thrown on a fire, one alive, after being disembowelled, the other after his head had been cut off. These statements are made on the authority of letters received from Colonel Weare, now commanding the 50th Regiment, though not communicated by his wish or permission. It appears to Mr. Cardwell that such allegations proceeding from such a quarter call for serious inquiry. I have, &c, Sir E. Lugard, K.C.B. F. Rogees.
No. 2. Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.8., to the Right Hon. Edward Card-well, M.P. (Separate.) Sir, — Government House, "Wellington, 13th June, 1866. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential Despatch of the 26th March last, upon the subject of barbarities stated to have been committed by Her Majesty's Forces under Major-General Chute, and by our Native Allies, in the district of country lying between Wanganui and Taranaki. 2. I have first to state that I never, directly or indirectly, informed any one that the Colonial Government did not want the expense of prisoners. On the