A.—No. 18.

I would remind you that, in Eebruary last, I entreated you to express to the Officer Commanding the Troops in Australia and New Zealand, the disapproval of Her Majesty's Government of his having assumed, Avhilst I was administering the Government of New Zealand, the power of causing in that country secret executions of Her Majesty's subjects; and I further requested your Lordship to issue positive instructions that no such power should hereafter be assumed by the Officer Commanding the Troops,—for you have left this question in doubt,—and I personally assured you of my belief that, if you did not do this, the war in NeAV Zealand Avould degenerate into a Avar of murders upon the part of the Natives. Neither my personal or written solicitations on this subject produced any effect on your Lordship, Avhilst the fears I expressed have been realized. Throughout the recent NeAV Zealand Avars, some of the evil-disposed Natives have from time to time committed acts of great cruelty ; but, upon the Avhole, I do not think that history shows more noble examples than were given by some of the leading chiefs of a nation striving to have Avar conducted upon merciful principles, and although in instances these chiefs failed in preventing the violent amongst the Natives in revolt from committing the cruelties to AA rhich I have alluded, yet, upon the whole, their treatment of our men left in their hands will always redound to their honor. In proof of this I beg to recall to your Lordship's remembrance the following circumstances : — On the evening of the 29th April, 1864, Sir D. Cameron reported that Her Majesty's forces, after entering the Gate Pa, had been repulsed, and that Lieut.Colonel Booth, of the 43rd Regiment, and some officers and men, had been left wounded in the place, and that serious apprehension was entertained of the fate that might befall them, left as they were to the mercy of the Natives. He subsequently reported (sth May, 1864) that the Natives had abandoned the place during the night of the 29th April, and that, "on taking possession of " the work in the morning, Lieut.-Colonel Booth and some men Avere found still " living, and, to the credit of the Natives, had not been maltreated, nor had any " of the bodies of the killed been mutilated." The details of this transaction, as related to me immediately afterwards by those Avho kneAV them well, were that the Natives had carefully tended our wounded, supplying them with water, and, immediately before abandoning the place, had left water by the side of the Avounded officers and men. The folloAving instances will further show the spirit in which the evil-disposed amongst those in revolt strove to conduct the Avar. It being known that, in the attack by our forces on Rangiriri, the Chief Te Oriori had been himself wounded in saving the life of one of our Avounded, he was called on to explain how this had been done, and gave the foHowing account, which Avas substantiated from other sources : — E. No. 1. 2. 1864. " During the attack upon Rangiriri, I saAV a Avounded soldier (officer ?); "he had ribbons upon his coat; he Avas lying in a position where he was liable to "be struck by the bullets of both his friends and foes. I went to save him, so that " I might be able to say, 'Heis a man whose life I saved.' I assisted him to rise, " and with my arms supported him towards a hollow, where he Avould not be " exposed to the fire of either party. Whilst I was in the act of assisting him, I " Avas struck by two bullets, one immediately after the other, one in the heel, the " other in the calf of the leg. I then left him, and returned to the pa. Shortly " after this I was struck by a bullet on the thumb (it was shot off)." Your Lordship will find in another instance, which happened near the place where a Pipiriki chief was subsequently put to death, that the hostile Natives had found a drunken trooper lying on the road, whom they made prisoner, and when he was sober brought him back to camp, with his horse, arms, and equipment untouched, because they would not injure a man Avho had fallen into their poAver. I must venture to give one other example. The hostile Natives at Tauranga issued the folloAving rules for the conduct of their men during the Avar, and sent a copy to the Military authorities at that place. These rules they strictly observe : —

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AND THE GOVERNOR OE NEW ZEALAND.