A—No. 6b

I am not aware that in any other Country the services of the Militia in time of war or rebellion are restricted to so limited an area as a circle of fifteen miles radius. I have, &c, D. A. Cameron, His Excellency Colonel Gore Browne, C.B. Lieut.-General he., &c, &c. Enclosure 2 in No. 1. LIEUT.-GENEUAL CAMERON TO GOVERNOR GORE BROWNE. Head Qiu.rters, Auckland, 16th June, 1861. Sir,— I trust that the great importance of the subject at the present time will excuse me with Your Excellency for so frequently troubling you about the Militia. I took the liberty some time ago of urging upon Your Excellency and the Colonial Government the expediency of taking immediate steps for the organization of an efficient body of Militia in every Province of the Colnny, and at the same time requested that I might be furnished with any information with which Your Excellency could supply me on the subject. I have since learnt from Your Excellency that the Auckland Militia has been enrolled and supplied with arms; but in regard to their numbers, their efficiency, or the measures proposed for training them to their duties, I have as yet no information whatever. It is impossible to say how soon hostilities may recommence, and as in that event the duty of making arrangements for the defence of the Colony would devolve upon me, it is right that I should be made acquainted with all these matters as soon as possible. It is also desirable that I should have an early opportunity of inspecting the Auckland Militia, and of satisfying myself as to their condition, and how far they might be depended upon for any useful co-operation with Her Majesty's Troops 4 I have, &c, His Excellency Colonel Gore Browne, G. 8., D. A. Cameron, &c, &c, &c.

Enclosure 3 in No. 1. LIEUT.-GENERAL CAMERON TO GOVERNOR GORE BROWNE. Auckland, Ist July, JB6l. Sir,— I am bound to give the Military Authorities at Home, hy every opportunity, the fullest information on all, matters relating to the defence of the Colony, and to the future probable operat'ons of the Force under my command. It will therefore become my duty to direct their attention by this Mail to the fact that at this critical juncture when every settlement in this Island is threatened with attack, the Militia has not been called out at any of them, except at Taranaki, where according1 to Major Herbert's Report, not more than 100 Militiamen can be considered fit for duty. I should wish to report if possible by this Mail, whether the Colonial Government have any intention of calling out the Militia; and if so, when ; what the numbers will be in each settlement; and what steps they propose to take with the view of training and equipping it for service. There is also another subject on which I am desirous of possessing and being able to give the Home Authorities some precise information. The reply of the insurgents to Your Excellency's last message leaves little room to hops any longer for a peaceful adjustment of our present differences with them, and I have therefore commenced preparations to enable me to carry the war into the Waikato country whenever you may think proper to order me to advance. An expedition into that territory should not be undertaken with a much smaller force than 30UO men. I could at present barely muster 2500 for the field, and, should any further detachments be made it will be impossible to attempt to carry out the object for which the Troops have been concentrated at this place. I should feel obliged, therefore, if Your Excellency would inform me whether, in the event of an outbreak of hostilities you would call upon me to reinforce the garrisons of the different settlements, or whether you would have them to be defended by their present garrisons aided by the Militia. I have, &c, D. A. Camekon, His Excellency Colonel Gore Browne, C.8., Lieut.-Geueral. &c, &c, &c. Enclosure 4 in No. 1. MEMORANDUM BT MR. STAFFORD. Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 2nd July, 1861. His Excellency's Ministers have had under their consideration the subject of the letter of the lieutenant-General Commanding Her Majesty's Forces in New Zealand, of yesterday's date, in which.

4

PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE