•A—No. Ib

24

DESPATCHES EROM THE SECRETARY OE STATE

No. 10. Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G., to the Right Hon. Earl Granville, K.G. (No. 100.) Government House, Wellington, My Lord, — New Zealand, 3rd August, 1869. With my Despatch No. 80, by the last mail, I transmitted a Ministerial Memorandum, dated 6th July ultimo, strongly advising me, for the reasons therein stated, to take steps to delay the departure from this Colony of the 18th Regiment, the last battalion of the Queen's troops still remaining here. I also reported, at the same time, the terms in which I had informed the Ministers that the instructions from Her Majesty's Government were peremptory, and that it was entirely beyond my power to comply with their request. 2. At the urgent solicitation of Ministers, I afterwards consented to transmit copies of their Memorandum to General Chute and Commodore Lambert respectively, so that the Naval and Military authorities might be kept acquainted with the present state of New Zealand. I felt it to be my duty, hoAvever, to AA ram Ministers that no practical result would, in my opinion, follow from my compliance with their request. I submit, herewith, copies of my letters to General Chute and Commodore Lambert, from which it Avill be seen that I forwarded the Memorandum of my Responsible Advisers simply for the information of those officers. 3. It Avill be further perceived that I addressed General Chute as follows :— " In your letter of the 17th ultimo, you acquainted me that you had already " issued the necessary orders for carrying out the instructions of Her Majesty's " Government respecting the battalion still in New Zealand, but you gave me no " information as to the exact periods at Avhieh the detachments now garrisoning " the chief toAAms in the disturbed districts (that is, Wanganui, Taranaki, and " Napier), and the head-quarters of the regiment at Auckland, Avill be finally " AvithdraAvn. I request that you Avill favour me with this information at your " earliest convenience, after making the necessary arrangements, so that the " Colonial Government may be enabled to take steps for replacing (so far as may " be found practicable) Her Majesty's troops with detachments of the local " forces." I have since been informed by Colonel Elliot, the Commandant in New Zealand, that the detachments at Wanganui, Taranaki, and Napier Avill be removed to Auckland between the 12th and the 16th of this month (August). I observe also, from advertisements in the newspapers, that tenders have been invited for the conveyance of the 18th Regiment from Auckland to Australia, but as yet I have received no intimation as to the exact time at Avhich General Chute will carry out this measure. He will, however, doubtless report his intentions to the War Office. I have, &c, The Right Hon. Earl Granville, K.G. G. E. BOWEN.

Enclosure 1 in No. 10. Governor Sir G. E. Bowen to Major-General Sir T. Chute, K.C.B. Government House, Wellington, Sic,— New Zealand, 19th July, 1869. With reference to your letter to me of the 17th, and to my reply of the 30th ultimo, respecting the removal of tho 2-18 th Eegiment from New Zealand, I have the honor, at the urgent request of my Eesponsible Advisers the Ministers of this Colony, to transmit the enclosed copy of a Memorandum since laid before me by them, of which I have also sent copies to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and to Commodore Lambert. Tou will, of course, understand that I forward this Memorandum to you simply for your information. I have stated to the Colonial Ministers that no control or discretion whatever has been left to me in the matter of the removal of the 2-18 th Eegiment; that lam not aware if any discretion has been left to you ; and that at all events, the final instructions for the removal have been sent not to the Governor but to tho Major-General Commanding, acting in concert with the Senior Naval Officer. In your letter of the 17th ultimo, you acquainted me that you had already issued tho necessary orders for carrying out the instructions of Her Majesty's Government respecting tho battalion still in New Zealand ; but you gave me no information as to the exact periods at which tho detachments now garrisoning the chief towns in the disturbed districts (that is, Wanganui, Taranaki, and Napier), and the head-quarters of the Eegiment at Auckland, will be finally withdrawn. I request that you will