B.—Ne 4,

No. 3. Copy of a LETTER from Under Seceetaey fob, Defence to Lt.-Col. Leppee. Sir, — Colonial Defence Office, Auckland, 24th October, 1864. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21st inst., wherein you detail the action you had taken upon receiving my letter of the 17th inst., No. 2447, and in which you request to be furnished with fresh instructions. In reply, I am directed to inform you that the Government regret that, instead of at once acting on the instructions you received, you should have considered it necessary to refer to Colonel Warre for his instructions as to the carrying out of orders received from the Government, when the wishes and instructions of the Government were so clearly set forth in my letter of the 17th inst. The Sub-Treasurer and the Paymaster at New Plymouth have been directed not to issue pay for any of the Colonial Forces at Taranaki, except the Military Settlers, after the 31st inst.; and lam therefore to instruct you at once to carry out the instructions forwarded to you in my letter quoted above. I have, Ac, Lt.-Col. Lepper, Com. Militia and Volunteers, New Plymouth. William Seed.

No. 4 Copy of a LETTER from Lt.-Col. Lepper to Undek Seceetaey fob Defence. Militia and Volunteer Orderly Room, Sic,— Taranaki, 27th October, 1864. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 2476, dated Auckland, 24th ult., and to express my regret at the Government having censured me for the course I pursued in carrying out their instructions, dated 17th ult. In explanation for having acted as I did, I most respectfully beg to state, for the information of the Government, that the Province of Taranaki being under martial law and the command of Colonel Warre, C.8., not a man can be withdrawn from his post without his authority, more particularly as the forces iv question are on active service in the field. I trust when the Government re-consider the circumstances of the case, they will acquit me of not having carried out their orders to the utmost of my power. I have further the honor to forward the enclosed correspondence for the information of the Hon. T. Russell, Minister for Colonial Defence. I have, Ac, Wm. Seed, Esq., Secretary to the Minister for M. Lepper, Lt.-Col. Colonial Defence, Ac, Ac. Auckland. Commanding Local Forces. Enclosure 1 to No. 4. Sir,— Taranaki Militia Office, 27th October, 1864. I have the honor to enclose a copy of a letter I received yesterday from the Government for the information of the Colonel Commanding, and to request he will have the goodness to take the necessary steps to enable me to carry out my instructions with as little delay as possible. I have, Ac, Garrison Adjutant, Ac, Ac. M. Lepper, Lt.-Col. Commanding Local Forces. * - Enclosure 2 to 4>. Sib, — Garrison Office, New Plymouth, 27th October 1864. I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day's date, forwarding copy of letter from Mr. Seed, dated Colonial Defence Office, 24th October, 1864, and requesting Col. Warre to take the necessary steps to enable you to carry out your instructions with as little delay as possible. In reply, I am directed to inform you, that, as Colonel Warre has received no instructions from the Lieutenant-Genoral Commanding the Troops in New Zealand : and as this province, being under martial law, is entirely under the control of the military authorities, Colonel Warre must decline to take any action upon the instructions conveyed in Mr. Seed's letter until after the arrival of the mail steamer on the 29th instant, when it is possible the Lieutenant-General may give some orders on the subject. In the meanwhile you will be pleased to continue the Militia in the occupation of the several block-house, Ac, and make no alteration in the existing arrangements for the military defence of this town without further instructions from the military authorities. I have, Ac. E. Bhutton, Lieut., Garrison Adjutant. Lieut.-Colonel Lepper.

No. 5. Copy of a LETTER from Under Secretary for Defence to Major Atkinson. Sib,-— Colonial Defence Office, Auckland, 17th October, 1864. I have the honor, by direction of the Minister for Colonial Defence, to enclose for your information the copy of a letter which has been addressed to Lieut.-Colonel Lepper, commanding Taranaki Militia, directing that officer to take immediate steps for relieving the Taranaki Town Militia, Bushranging Corps, and Volunteers, from duty. I have, Ac. William Seed. Major Atkinson, Taranaki Militia, Taranaki. [Letters of similar tenor and date to Captain Hemptoii. Paymaster, Taranaki Militia, and R. Chilman, Esq.. SubTreasurer at New Plymouth.]

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