A.—JTo. 1.

44

DESPATCHES EROM THE GOVERNOR OE NEW

See Return to an Address of the Honorable House of Commons, .April 25, 1860.

2. At the same time, I have the honor to transmit a further Memorandum from the Colonial Government respecting the few guns now mounted on the Fort at Auckland. 3. The case to which the attention of Her Majesty's Government is solicited is fully and clearly stated in the enclosed Papers. It is simply asked that, on the entire removal of the Imperial troops from New Zealand, the sites of the barracks, which, it will he seen, were a part of the Colonial estate purchased from the Natives and handed over to the Ordnance Department for the use of those troops, should, with the buildings upon them, be re-transferred to this Colony, which has now to \mdertake the entire cost of its own defence. It is also asked that the few old obsolete guns mounted on the Port at Auckland, together with the ammunition and stores belonging to them, should now be handed over to the Colonial Government. Major-General Sir Trevor Chute has informed me that the dilapidated wooden huts of which most of the barracks consist, and the obsolete guns and stores referred to, are of no intrinsic value, and are certainly not worth the cost of removal. Still they would be of some use to the Colony, for their sale or removal would render it difficult even to fire the customary salute on the Queen's Birthday, and would naturally make a very painful impression on Her Majesty's loyal subjects here, especially when they observe the costly material aid in ships and cannon which the Imperial Government has recently granted to Victoria and to other Colonies, the exertions and sacrifices of which are very trifling when compared with those made by New Zealand. 4. It will be remembered that the request now submitted by the New Zealand Government is entirely in harmony with the earnest recommendation of Messrs. Hamilton and Godley, in their Report on the Military Defence of the Colonies, dated 24th January, 1860, and published in the Parliamentary Papers of that year. It is believed that this Report has always been considered of high authority, and that it is in many respects the basis of the existing arrangements with the principal dependencies of the Crown. After suggesting that the cost of the defence of each Colony should be divided in equal moieties between the Imperial and the Colonial Governments, Messrs. Hamilton and Godley proceed: "It is " almost needless to say that, while persuaded of the feasibility as well as of the " advantages of the plan which we recommend, we are not insensible of the difficul- " ties which Her Majesty's Government will meet with in applying it. Nor do we " for a moment suppose that it can be brought into full operation at once by a " Circular Despatch, followed by the withdrawal of Her Majesty's troops. If it " be adopted at all, it should be carried out with undeviating impartiality and " firmness ; and the Colonies should be made to understand from the first that the " decision of the Government on the subject is final and irreversible. But it " should also be carried out considerately and with caution. The Colonies will " require time to organize systems of local self-defence; and in the meanwhile " they should not be deprived of the protection to which we have accustomed them, " if it be clear that they have bond fide accepted the arrangement proposed, and " are preparing to act upon it. We venture further to suggest that it would be " wise and just to show the utmost liberality to them in making the preliminary " arrangements. For example, the Imperial Government possesses, in every " Colony, considerable, and often very valuable, property, which has been acquired " and retained for the purposes of defence. When the responsibility of that " defence is transferred to the Colonies, it is clearly right that the property should "be transferred to them also. The same course might be pursued (though on " different grounds) with respect to the armament of forts and batteries, and even " to the stores which might happen to be on the spot, and appropriated to local " purposes. In short, every possible pains should be taken to let the Colonies see " that the course decided upon is adopted Avith a view to the permanent advantage " of themselves as well as of the Mother Country, and that there is no wish on " the part of the latter to drive what is called a hard bargain with them." 5. In conclusion, I beg most respectfully, but most earnestly, to recommend the enclosed Papers to the favourable consideration of Her Majesty's Government. I have, &c, His Grace the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos. G. F. BOWEN.