B.—No. 4L

No. 6. Copy of a LETTER from Under Secretaby fob Defence to R. Chilman, Esq. Sic, —■ Colonial Defence Office, Auckland, 24th October, 1864. Referring to my letter to you of the 17th instant, No. 2449, enclosing copy of a communication which had been addressed to Lieut.-Colonel Lepper, directing him to relieve from duty the whole of the Colonial Forces at Taranaki with the exception of tho military sealers, I have the honor to inform you that, from a letter received from that officer, it appears lie has delayed carrying out the instructions ho received until he hears again from the Government; and lam now directed by tho Minister for Colonial Defence to inform you that instructions have been sent to Lieut.-Colonel Lepper ratifying the previous ones, and that you are not to issue pay for any of the local forces at Taranaki, excepting the military settlers, after the 3lst instant. I have, Ac, William Seed. R. Chilman, Esq., Sub-Treasurer, Ac, Ac, Taranaki.

No. 7. Copy of a LETTER from Captain Hempton to the Hon. T. Russell. Sic, — Paymaster's Office, Taranaki Militia, 21st October 1864. I have the honor to state, that Colonel Warre, the Officer commanding Her Majesty's Forces in this province, having decided that the Bushrangers, Mounted Volunteers to the number of 25 with a Captain, and the Militia at present s*ationcd in four block-houses, are to be kept on duty, the SubTreasurer will require an authority to issue the amount requ'red for their pay and allowances. I have, Ac, Thomas Hempton, Capt., Tho Hon. T. Russell, Minister Colonial Defence, Paymaster Taranaki Militia. Defence Office, Auckland.

No. 8. Copy of a LETTER from Undeb Seceetaey foe Defence to Capt. Hempton. Colonial Defence Office, Auckland, 24th October, 1864. Sib — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21st instant, and am directed to inform you in reply that the Government has directed the Sub-Treasurer at New Plymouth not to issue any further pay to tho Taranaki Town Militia, Bushrangers, and Volunteers, after the 31st instant. I have, Ac, Captain Hempton, Paymaster Taranaki Militia, Taranaki. William Seed.

No. 9. Copy of a LETTER from Chaeles Brown, Esq., to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir,— Royal Hotel, Auckland, 24th October, 1864. I have the honor to state that the mail just arrived fro-n Taranaki informs me that orders have heen received there to strike the Taranaki Militia and Volunteers off pay and rations and dispense with their services. I feel it my duty to urge on the consideration of the Government the position of matters at Taranaki, and how it will be affected by the carrying out of the orders referred to. 1. Tue posts that are held by tho Militia arc those immediately protecting the open land (of about 10,000 acres). These, as I understand, there are no troops at Taranaki to hold if the Militia are withdrawn from them. 2. Tiie Bushrangers, who partially protect the country inland of the posts above named, and who have for many months been acquiring the useful training that makes them so valuable. 3. T.ie Mounted Corps, which is an efficient body of men, maintained at a less cost than the Colonial Defence Force, and, I believe, fulfilling to a great extent the same duties. 4. T.ie number of militiamen doing dv y in town is about 50. 5. Tne labor market has been supplied wi h labor imported from the other Provinces at a time when the Government did not see fit to dispense with the services of militiamen ; this labor has been and is steadily drifting away, since the Government has allowed militiamen to be s'.ruck off pay, rations, and duty at their own request, of which number there are about 260 out of 600 on the militia roll. 6. Tae Provincial Government has made arrangements to overdraw its account with tho Bank of New Zealand for present engagements, and as these arrangements cannot be expanded, tho Provincial Government has not tho means for the further employment of the population. The result, therefore, of the Militia and Volunteers being struck off pay and rations must be that the country now occupied, and the occupation of which is extending, must be contracted, and that without their compensation or other means of living, where almost every article of consumption, including fuel, is imported, those who have any means to leave the Province must do so, and those that cannot leave must slarve. If any reduc ion be made in the Taranaki Militia or Volunteers, I recommend that as far as practicable the reduction commence with the Town Militia and progress outwards to where available protection extends for industrial pursuits. I have, Ac, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Chaeles Brown, Superintendent of Taranaki.

5

REDUCTION OE MILITIA EXPENDITURE.