TO THE GOVERNOR OE NEW ZEALAND

3

A.—No. U,

No. 6. Copy of a DESPATCH from His Grace the Duke of Buckingham to Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B. (No. 64.) Sir,— Downing Street, 18th October, 1867. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 79, of the 7th of August, forwarding a Petition to the Queen from the Legislative Council of New Zealand, praying that certain Resolutions of the Council, together with the printed papers recently presented to the General Assembly of the Colony " relative to the statements made by Colonel Weare, C.8.," may be laid before both Houses of the Imperial Parliament. I request that you will inform the Legislative Council that these papers will be presented in their course with others relating to the affairs of New Zealand. hivp *vt* BUCKINGHAM AND CHANDOS. Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B.

No. 7. Copt of a DESPATCH from His Grace the Duke of Buckingham to Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B. (Separate.) Sie,— Downing Street, 20th October, 1867. I referred for the consideration of the Secretary of State for War a copy of your Despatch, marked separate, of the 28th of June last, with the Memorandum which accompanied it from your Responsible Advisers, relating to the manner in which the Major-General commanding in New Zealand had exercised his power of conferring local rank on officers of the Imperial Forces. I have the honor to transmit to you, for your information, a copy of the reply which has been received from the War Office, with a communication from MajorGeneral Chute in explanation of the cases referred to. I have, &c, BUCKINGHAM AND CHANDOS. Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B.

Enclosure in No. 7. Sir E. LtjOaed to Mr. Elliot. Sie — War Office, Bth October, 1867. With reference to your letter of the 7th ultimo, and enclosure from the Governor of Now Zealand, with a Memorandum from his Responsible Advisers, relating to the manner in which the Major-General Commanding has exorcised his power of conferring temporary local rank on officers of the Imperial Forces, I am directed by Secretary Sir John Pakington to transmit, for the information of the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, the enclosed copy of a Despatch which has been received from Major-General Sir T. Chute, in explanation, and I am to request that you will intimate to His Grace that the proceedings of the Major-General, on the occasions referred to, have met with the approval of Sir John Pakington, and of His Royal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chiof. I have, &c, T. F. Elliot, Esq. Edwaed Ltoaed.

Sub-Enclosure in No. 7. Major-General Chute to the Undee Seceetaex op State, "War Office. Sie, — Head Quarters, Auckland, July, 18G7. I have the honor to forward, for the information of the Right Hon. the Secretary of State for War, the copy of a Despatch of the 28th ultimo, addressed by the Governor of New Zealand to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, transmitting a Memorandum from His Excellency's Responsible Advisers, in which they earnestly remonstrate against the indiscriminate use made by me of my power of giving temporary local rank to officers of the Imperial Forces. The only occasions on which I have found it necessary to give temporary rank to officers of Her Majesty's service, are those referred to in the Ministerial Memorandum, and in each of those cases I considered that evident inconvenience would have resulted from Her Majesty's Troops being placed under the command of an Officer of the Local Militia, because these officers act under orders they receive direct from the Colonial Defence Minister, and if in command of garrisons or posts where Imperial Troops are stationed, such troops might be employed in military opera-