A.—No. 1.

6

DESPATCHES FROM THE GOVERNOR OF NEW

" Chatham Islands, and have made good their retreat from Poverty Bay into the " wild mountainous country about a hundred miles north of Napier; and on the " West Coast by a band of about equal number, under the chief Titokowaru, who is " lurking in the forests near Patea, about eighty miles from Taranaki. The " Colonial Militia and Volunteers, under Colonel Whitmore, will protect the " settlers on the East Coast; while Colonel McDonnell (who has about 700 " Europeans and 300 Natives under his orders) will perform a similar duty on the " West Coast. lam advised that presence of the Imperial detachments at Napier " and Taranaki is very useful; for they place those towns in perfect security, thus " leaving the Colonial troops free to protect the inland settlers." 6. I next replied to that portion of General Chute's letter which alludes to the purely Imperial and military duties performed by the four companies of the 18th now at Auckland; and informed him that, as there had been no fresh Eenian disturbances on the Southern Gold Eields, I would make no objection to his proposal that the company lately detached from Auckland, in consequence of the Eenian movements, and landed at Wellington, should be ordered to rejoin head quarters. It is added : " I presume that you consider this measure so urgent as to " justify the additional expenditure from Imperial funds which it will cause, on " the eve of-the final withdrawal of the Imperial troops from this Colony." 7. I closed my letter with the following observations : —" As the question of " barrack accommodation is raised in your letter, it is observed by my Responsible " Advisers that no objection to the present distribution of the troops was made at " the time of that distribution on the ground of the want of proper barrack " accommodation; and that no special provision for officers' quarters within " barracks has ever hitherto been required by the Imperial Government at any " post where Her Majesty's troops have been stationed in New Zealand. I am, " however, fully aware of the force of your observations on this head, and I think " you will agree with me that if any Imperial troops were to be retained per- " manently in New Zealand, it would be desirable that the Governor of this Colony " and the General Commanding ,should unite in an application to the Imperial " authorities for positive and precise instructions ; first with regard to the stations "at which alone those troops shall be quartered; and, secondly, with regard to " the amount of the barrack accommodation to be provided for them."* " But it appears unnecessary to go more fully into these questions at present, " as it has been intimated to me by the Secretary of State that the 18th Regiment '■' will shortly be altogether removed, and that the ' Himalaya' transport will be " sent out to convey it from New Zealand to Australia. I need scarcely say that " so soon as you receive orders fixing the exact time at which the final withdrawal " of the troops will take place, I will readily acquiesce in any measures which you " may deem necessary for carrying out those orders forthwith. But in the mean- " time, I flatter myself that you will agree that we are both bound, in the absence " of any urgent necessity, not to interfere, without further directions from home, " with that distribution of the 18th Regiment which has been expressly approved " by Her Majesty's Government, and which, in the words of the Secretary of State " for War, ' comes within the instructions of Her Majesty's Government, for the " ' short time during which it will remain in the Colony.' " " I am confident that you think with me, that the paramount duty of " Governors and Generals alike, is to carry out, as far as possible, the views of the " Imperial authorities under whom they serve." 8. I have little doubt that General Chute will acquiesce in my views, so soon as he shall have read the opinion of Sir John Pakington, respecting the distribution of the troops in New Zealand, expressed so recently as in last January, and recorded in your Grace's Despatch, No, G, of 18G8. I am informed that when General Chute last addressed me, no intimation had reached him respecting the " Himalaya," and that this transport cannot arrive in New Zealand so soon as it was at first expected. On forwarding with my .Despatch No. 80, of the Bth August ultimo, a resolution of the Legislative Council of New Zealand, deprecating the immediate and entire removal, at the present crisis, of the single battalion of * It is stated that if a dctaclimeut of Imperial troops were permanently quartered at Taranaki, the GroYernnient of that Province would be willing to repair the barracks there.