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vailed on to serve in the Militia for a moderate remuneration. I will not however fail to do the utmost in my power to make them effective. 5. Pending the lamentable state of affairs in India I should feel ashamed to ask for more protection in this Colony, but Her Majesty's Government will, lam sure, agree with me that an exhibition of weakness would certainly provoke the hostility we desire to avoid. 6. Having in other despatches forwarded by this Mail endeavoured to give a clear account of the Natives and their position in relation to us, I need say no more than that in a Military point of view they have every advantage, as they possess and are capable of threading fastnesses we cannot enter, and that they occupy the interior while we are scattered along the coasts of the Island. 7. At this moment we have no Troops either in Nelson or the Bay of Islands, but ere long a Military Force will be required to control the mixture of Natives and Europeans who are thronging to the Gold Fields at the former place, and the scattered European population residing at or near the latter is too remote to be altogether safe without a small protecting force. 8. I submit therefore that the Colony can hardly be considered safe without 2000 rank and file distributed as follows :— Auckland 60C New Plymouth 300 Bay of Islands 100 Wellington , 420 Nelson 200 Wanganui , 180 Napier 200 2000 The force stationed at Auckland and Wellington would then be able to afford assistance to other parts of the Colony without leaving those settlements absolutely unprotected. On the subject of Naval protection I do not presume to offer any futher remarks, having perhaps exceeded my duty in what I have stated in other despatches. 9. It may be asked—is a Colony which possesses self-government in the most complete form to depend always on the mother country for Military support, and yet contribute nothing towards its expense ? In answer I would submit that when the revenue arrives at a certain sum—say £200,000 per annum, Her Majesty's Government may fairly require that the Colony should contribute towards the cost of its protection such contribution to increase with the increasing wealth of the Colony. The amount of last year's Customs revenue has not yet been ascertained, but I am assured that it will not be less than £130,000. In this Colony the European population is supposed to double in seven years, and considering the great increase of wealth consequent on extended cultivations and the multiplication of stock it may fairly be calculated that in a very few years the revenue will reach £200,000 per annum, and will continue rapidly increasing. lam led to adopt this view because the unusual stimulus to trade and agriculture which occurred when gold was discovered in Australia, and the subsequent re-action have both passed away, and the trade and revenue of the Colony are now based on safe and ordinary operations. I think therefore that in a few years the mother country may justly require a Colony which, like New Zealand, possesses entire self-government to contribute largely towards the expense of its own protection. 10. In a few years also it is to be hoped the Natives will be so far advanced as no longer to require special exemption from the control of the Assembly, and may in some way or other be represented in it. Till that time arrives I venture, at the risk of appearing importunate, to urge that a force sufficient to prevent any outbreak on the part of the Natives may be maintained in the Colony, for the jibsence of such a force may at any time subject New Zealand to disasters which would entail a vast expenditure of both blood and treasure. I have, &c, (Signed) T. Goke Browne. The Right Honourable H. Labouchere, M, P. Auckland, January 25th, 1858. Sib,— Looking at the distribution of the troops after the occupation of Port Napier by 300 men, as required by your Excellency, it will be evident no further call can be made on the Military resources of either Wellington or Auckland, unless the Colony makes some strenuous exertions in its own behalf; nor can the other out-posts on any account be weakened, on the contrary, they should be strengthened in the event of any unforeseen excitement on the part of the Natives ; such being the case, and seeing the possibility of the recall of the Service Companies of the 58th Regt., consequent on the demand for troops for India made on the mother country, I would respectfully venture to suggest to your Excellency the desirability of applying to the Australian Government for at least four complete companies, or the wing of a Regiment; so that the means may be at hand for carrying out any orders from home respecting the 58th Regiment, or of rendering assistance, if required, to the out-posts on either the East or West Coast.