DESPATCHES EROM THE SECRETARY OE STATE

of the principal duties of a Governor, especially in critical times, to keep Her Majesty's Government acquainted Avith the public opinion of the community over AA'hich he presides, I feel constrained to report, for your Lordship's information, that this " Protest" reflects, not unfaithfully, the general feelings already entertained by a majority of the people of New Zealand ; feelings which Avill probably become nearly universal, if the Imperial authorities should reject what has been called " the last prayer of the New Zealand Parliament," and refuse to alloAV a garrison of one regiment of the line to continue to hold the chief towns in the disturbed districts, iioav that the Legislature has pledged itself by Act to pay for that regiment AvhateA Tcr annual sum the Imperial Government may demand. As I haA'e frequently submitted in previous communications, those Avho knoAV the Maoris best believe that the entire withdrawal of the moral support of the Queen's troops would probably lead to a cruel and lingering Avar of races in the North Island. 3. It is further my duty to submit, for your Lordship's information, that, looking to the opinions expressed by the principal journals of the neighbouring Australian Colonies, and to the communications said to have been received here from several influential Australian politicians, the public and press of Australia seem inclined to sympathize with the public and press of NeAV Zealand. I annex articles Avhich have recently appeared on this subject in the Sydney Morning Herald and in the Melbourne Argus, the leading journals, respectively, of New South Wales and of Victoria. 4. It is Avith pain and soitoav that I am compelled to add, Avith reference to the concluding paragraph of the " Protest," that a portion of the local Press openly adA rocates the annexation of this Colony to the United States, contending that Protection and Allegiance are correlative terms, and that the central Government at Washington Avould readily give the same sort of aid against the Maoris, to this community, that it iioav gives against the Indians to the new Territories on the West of the Mississippi, which may practically be regarded as Colonies from the older States. This question has been mooted even in the Colonial Legislature. I am convinced, hoAvever, that the petulant discontent unhappily prevalent here arises from private distress, the result of the severe commercial depression of the last three years, as much as from public dissatisfaction and injured pride ; and that it aaull rapidly disappear if the advances toAvards a more cordial understanding with the Imperial authorities now made by the Ministry and Legislature of the Colony are met (as I am confident they will be met) in a generous and gracious spirit. It aaIH doubtless be felt on both sides (as it has been recently stated in England) that, whatever may be the future political destiny of this portion of the British Empire, it Avould be a grave misfortune if American rancour against Great Britain AA rere to extend to Australia. Eor myself, I have, of course, spared no effort to restore the former loyal and patriotic feeling of the Colonists toAvards the Mother Country; and it Avill be perceived from the tone of the Ministerial Memoranda, and of other official papers recently sent home, that the exertions of many of the leading public men in this community are employed in tho same direction. I. have, &c, The Right Hon. Earl Granville, K.G. G. E. BOWEN.

Sydney Morning Herald, Aug. 10 and 17, 1869 ; Melbourne Argus, Aug. 14, 1869.

Enclosure 1 No. 14. Peotest presented to Earl Geanville by Sir Geoege Geey, Sir Chaeles Clieeobd, and others, New Zealand Colonists in London. The following is the protest adopted by the New Zealand Colonists in London, and alluded to in our leading article: — Wo the undersigned persons who have been officially connected with the Legislature and Government of the Colony of New Zealand, venture to take this public notice of a Despatch from Earl Granville to the Governor of New Zealand, dated the 21st March ultimo, in reference to an application made on behalf of that Colony for assistance in its present dangers. We feel justified in taking this step because we personally had a share in the transactions to which tho Despatch relates, and because the Colony has no authorized political organ in this country.

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A.—No. Ib.