B.—No. 4

having been made for enabling the farming and labouring population to support themselves, and requesting his Honor to urge the matter on the consideration of the General Government. Wh. M. Cbompton, Chairman. Enclosure 4< to No. 11. Sib,— New Plymouth, 22nd October, 1864. We have the honor to enclose, for your Honor's information, a copy of a Resolution passed this day at a meeting of the settlers of this Province, and in pursuance thereof we beg to draw your attention to some of the main considerations connected with the sudden order for the discharge of the militia, which in our opinion should be urged upon the attention of the General Government. The great ignorance of, or want of consideration for, the position and difficulties of the Taranald settlers shewn by His Excellency's Government in thus suddenly taking away from so many »f them their only certain means of support is most clearly shewn by the fact that the urgent application of the Provincial Government for the removal of martial law from the Province was refused only a few weeks since—order it may fairly be presumed not having, in the opinion of His Excellency and the General commanding, been sufficiently restored in the Province to admit of its affairs being properly administered under the limitation of the Suppression of Rebellion Act. Again, whilst by discharging the whole of the civilian forces no resource is left to the agricultural population but to seek a living from the land, the same act, by removing the civilian garrisons of the block houses, renders the cultivation of the land even within their circuit impossible or highly dangerous, as may be clearly apprehended from the fact that even whilst these garrisons are maintained the Officer Commanding has this week thought it necessary to issue stringent orders for watching the signs of approaching danger from the natives, and forbidding persons from moving singly between the blockhouses. Under the impression that these garrisons would be maintained, many have already put in crops, some are restoring their land to a condition fit for cultivation, whilst others have entered into contracts for the supply of fencing, &c. Many have gone to the full extent of their present means, and others beyond it, in expectation of soon receiving their compensation. Increased loss and embarrassment will be entailed upon those settlers who have embarked in these operations if the blockhouses, which now afford a certain amount of protection to their persons and property, should be abandoned or cease to be occupied by the militia, to say nothing of the certain destruction of the buildings themselves by the rebel natives. The exemplary patience and activity with which the civilian forces of this Province, old and young, have performed the duties required of them under most depressing circumstances and during a period of more than four years, may fairly be urged as an additional reason against dismissing them without notice; but such a want of recognition of their services might be passed over in silence if, when thus abruptly turned adrift, they had been placed in a position to maintain themselves. With respect to the impolicy of the proceeding, we cannot of course offer an opinion on the question as to whether the measures contemplated by His Excellency for the pacification of this Province can be as well carried out without the civilian forces, being in ignorance as to what those measures may be, but referring to the principle unanimously adopted by the General Assembly, that the only sure means of preventing the recurrence of struggles between the races was the introduction of a very large white population, we would point out that whilst at this Province, which has been the hotbed of the rebellious spirit, only 900 military settlers have hitherto been introduced, the present measure, throwing a large number of persons on their own resources at a time when the farmers are unable to engage in any extensive operations from want of capital owing to the non-payment of the compensation, from the insecurity of the country, and from the lateness of the season, must have the effect of driving many out of the Province. We trust that, by urging these considerations and others that may suggest themselves to your Honor, on the consideration of the Government, they will bo brought cither to revoke their order, or at least to make proper provisions for enabling all who are now here to support themselves without leaving the Province. We have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent of Wn. M. Ckompton", Taranaki. Chairman of Committee.

No. 12. Copy of a LETTER from Charles Beow> t, Esq., to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Superintendent's Office, New Plymouth, Sin,— 3d November, 1864. In reference to your letter of the 27th ultimo, No. 332, I have the honour to transmit a copy of the Message (No. 109) in which I forwarded a copy of your letter to the Provincial Council, and a copy of the Resolution passed by the Provincial Council in reply, with a copy of the Report of the Select Committee adverted to in the Resolution. With reference to that part which recommends that pecuniary assistance should be afforded out of the £5,000 to all settlers who cannot occupy their land by reason of the Maoris, and who are notable to work, I have the honour to state, that the relief given to indigent persons was, previous to the Militia and Volunteers being struck off pay and rations, at the rate of over £700 per annum, and the Provincial expenditure in the employment of those not, in the Militia at the rate of £7000 per annum. As regards the maintenance recommended of one company of Bushrangers, I have the honor to recommend that the two companies be put on duty. The feeling of security induced by their existent 1:;'-: led bo many in the past six months taking themselves off duty, pay, and rations, to restore and improve their properties ; the hostile natives are, or will shortly be, aware that the Bushrangers have ceased to do duty ; scattered settlers will therefore be not only in great danger of losing their

7

REDUCTION OF MILITIA EXPENDITURE.