No. 2. Despatch (Separate).—26th July, 1862. —Notifying that Her Majesty has been pleased to confer a Knighthood on Mr. George Alfred Arney. Copy of Despatch from His Grace the Duke of Newcastle to Governor Sir G. Grey, K.C.B. (New Zealand, Separate.) Sib,— Downing Street, 26th July, 1862. I have the honor to acquaint you that, on the strong recomme'ndation of your predecessor, the name of Mr. George Alfred Arney, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, has been submitted to the Queen for the honor of knighthood, and that Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to approve of the grant of that dignity by patent to Mr. Arney. I have, &c, Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B., &c, &c. Newcastle.

No. 3. Despatch No. 18.—Auckland, 19th February, 1863. —Becotnmending Major Herbert, New Zealand Militia, for distinction for services rendered during the war. Copy of Despatch from Governor Sir G. Geey, K.C.B., to His Grace the Duke of Newcastle(No. 18.) Government House, Auckland, New Zealand, Mi Loed Duke,— 19th February, 1863. I have the honor to transmit a memorandum of my Eesponsible Advisers, enclosing copies of letters from the Colonial Deputy-Adjutant General of Militia and Volunteers, and from Major Herbert of the Militia, late commanding the Militia and Volunteers in Taranaki, asking that some distinction should be conferred upon him for his services during the late war. 2. I concur with my Responsible Advisers in thinking that it would be well if some special order of merit for the colonies could be conferred upon these officers of Militia and Volunteers who distinguished themselves in the defence of any of Her Majesty's possessions. 3. In past years, both in New Zealand and at the Cape of Good Hope, the want of some such special distinction has been felt as a great hardship by gallant men who have rendered Her Majesty good service in the field. This subject is well worthy of your Grace's consideration. I have, &c., His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, K.G. Q-. G-eet.

Enclosure in No. 3. Memorandum for His Excellency the Goteenob. His Excellency is respectfully recommended to transmit to the Eight Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies, copies of the enclosed letters, of the dates noted in the margin, from Colonel Balneavis, the Deputy-Adjutant General of Militia and Volunteers, and from Major Herbert, late commanding the Militia and Volunteers in Taranaki. Ministers wish that at the same time there may be transmitted to the Secretary of State an expression of this our opinion that it is of the highest consquence in order to secure the efficiency and zeal of the Militia and Volunteer Forces in New Zealand, that the services of those forces when in the field, together with Her Majesty's regular troops, should be recognized by such acknowledgment and honorary rewards as they may in each instance be considered to merit, in accordance with the course adopted in similar cases with respect to the regular forces. This observation is especially applicable where an officer commanding the Militia and Volunteers has been publicly honorably mentioned in general orders, and in the despatches of the General for his services in the field, in the same terms as Commanding Officers of the Line on the same occasion. In bringing this despatch to His Excellency's notice, Ministers also desire to draw attention to the zeal and gallantry displayed by Captain Brown, Taranaki Militia; Captain and Adjutant Stapp, Taranaki Militia ; and Captain Atkinson, Taranaki Volunteers, in the action at Waireka, as recorded in the enclosures to the Despatch No. 29, 31st March, 1860, from the late Governor, Colonel Gore Browne, C.B., to His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, and they think that some mark of Her Majesty's gracious approbation conferred on those officers would be well bestowed, and give general satisfaction. At the same time they desire to guard themselves against being supposed to express an opinion, that precisely the same distinction should be conferred on the officers last alluded to as have been conferred on officers in Her Majesty's regular forces, upon whom these honors may be considered to be bestowed, not merely as the reward of a particular service of more than usual merit, but of a long course of more ordinary services or duties satisfactorily performed, of which the one that receives the distinction is only the complement, making up the sum of desert of which such reward is the acknowledgment. Auckland, 27th January, 1863. Alfbed Domett.

H.—39.

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