A.—No. la,

8

DESPATCHES EROM THE SECRETARY OE STATE

August, enclosing an extract from a Memorandum of your Responsible Advisers respecting the irregular manner in which an application had been made by Mr. Commissary-General Strickland for a grant of a portion of confiscated lands in New Zealand. I communicated your Despatch to the War Office, for the consideration of Secretary Sir John Pakington, and I transmit to you for your information the copy of a letter from that Department, enclosing a copy of Deputy Commissary General Strickland's answer to the charges brought against him. The rule referred to in the second paragraph of your Despatch as to the mode of dealing with an application from an officer of Her Majesty's Imperial Forces for a reward from a Colonial Government is to be adhered to. I have, &c, BUCKINGHAM AND CHANDOS. Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B.

Enclosure in No. 13. Sir Edwabd Lttgaed to Sir Ebedebic Rogees. Sib,— War Office, Bth November, 1867. With reference to your letter of the 11th ultimo transmitting the copy of a Despatch from the Governor of New Zealand, and an extract from a Memorandum of his Responsible Advisers, reflecting on the conduct of Deputy Commissary-General Strickland, in applying for a grant of a portion of the confiscated lands of New Zealand, I am directed by Secretary Sir John Pakington to enclose, for the information of the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, a copy of Deputy Commis-sary-General Strickland's answer to these ch'arges, from which it "would appear that, on a Bill being introduced into the Colonial Assemby to reward the principal Medical Officer for his services, Deputy Commissary-General Strickland joined in giving expression to a very general opinion that the head of the Commissariat Department should be similarly treated, but that he made nothing like an official application to the Colonial Government. If such a grant was made, or proposed to bo made, as alleged by Deputy Commissary-General Strickland, Sir John Pakington does not consider that the Governor of New Zealand and his Responsible Advisers have a right to complain when an opinion, such as is reported to have prevailed, found expression. A distinction made between heads of different departments engaged in the same service, in conferring rewards, might be very properly deemed invidious and partial, the more so when it is so evident from paragraph six of Sir George Grey's Despatch, enclosed in your letter, that this distinction was intentional and personal, and that it was founded on assumed injury to Colonial interests from the reports by the heads of the Commissariat of the extraordinary expenditure in the Colony, official reports which it was their duty to make, and which have been approved. Of secret and defamatory reports nothing is known in this Department, and the unsupported reference to them, and the tone in which it is made, seem to be most objectionable. Sir John Pakington however concurs in the propriety of all applications by Officers of the War Department for reward, money or land, from a Colonial Government, being made, if made at all, through the Governor; but they should also receive the sanction of the Secretary of State for War, in order that it may be determined whether their claims to reward are concurred in by the heads of the department to which these officers are attached. 1 have, &c, Sir I'rederic Rogers, Bart. Edwabd Ltjgaed.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 13. Deputy Commissary-General Strickland to the Undue Secbetaby of State fob Wab. Sib, — Bransley Hall, York, 18th October, 1867. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 26th October, 1867, giving cover to an extract from a Memorandum addressed to the Governor of New Zealand by his Responsible Advisers, and requesting me to report whether there are grounds for the statement made therein, that I had applied to the Colonial Government for a grant of land. In reply, I beg respectfully to state that I never made anything like an official application to the Colonial Government for a grant of land. What I did do was as follows: —When a Bill was introduced into the Colonial Assembly to remunerate Dr. Mouatt, V.C.,C.8., Inspector-General of Hospitals, in New Zealand, for services rendered by him as head of the Medical Department to the Colonial Government, I joined in giving expression to a very general opinion that, if the head of the Medical Department received a reward from the Colony, the head of the Commissariat Department ought to be similarly treated. I have, &c, E. Stbickland, The Under Secretary of State, War Office. Deputy Commissary-General.

No. 14. Copy of a DESPATCH from His Grace the Duke of Buckingham to Governor ,^ _. <. Sir George Guey, K.C.B. Sir, — Downing Street, 22nd November, 1867. With reference to your Despatch No. 85, of 29th August, I transmit to