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PETITION PROM INHABITANTS OF AUCKLAND. To His Excelleney Sir George Grey, K.C.8., Governor and Coinniandei-in Chief in and over the Islands of New Zealand. The Humble L'etition of the undersigned, on behalf of the Citizens and Inhabitants ■'■'■ of Auckland, assembled in a public meeting, on Tuesday the 17th day of February, 1564, Sheweth :— That many persons liable to serve in the Militia and Volunteers of this province,.other thaw those lawfully entitled to exemption on medical certificate, have obtained exemption from Military duty," and particularly that numerous exemptions have illegally, as it is believed, been griintbd to such persons on payment of Ten Pounds ; the duty of persons so exempted being thrown on the general body of the Militia and Volunteers. ' :"; Tour Petitioners therefore humbly pray, that your Excellency will be pleased to order that until the Militia and Volunteers of this Province are disbanded or, otherwise relieved from service, all persons liable to serve under the Militia Act, be compelled to perform their duty personally or by substitute. ''_, And Your Petitioners will ever pray, <fcc, W. Griffin, Chairman. • Ij •" (ft! William Thompson. ■ •■■ .J> ■■ t8 J. P. Dagnall. | & " SH George Williamson. | :: Henry Gilberdv;:;1 . .. . o Geo. B. Davy. [_

MrtW Thomson J. P. Dagnall Geo. Williamson X Henry Gilberd. 0. B. Dar.r.

UNDER SECRETARY FOll DEFENCE TO AUCKLAND PETITIONERS. Colonial Defence. OfEcc, Auckland, 27th February, 1864. Sib,— I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a Petition addressed to His Excellency the Governor, signed by yourself as Chairman of a Public Meeting,-held on the 17th instant, and by the gentlemen named in the margin, complaining that extra duty has been thrown on the general-:body of Militia and Volunteers of this Province, in consequence of exemptions having been granted under arrangements recently made by the Government, by which men in the Auckland Militia and Volunteer Forces on service out of the town of Auckland might procure substitutes upon payment of the sum of ten pounds each. This Petition was referred to Ministers by His Excellency in due course* and I am now directed, in reply to the allegations it contains, to inform you that the Government has much pleasure in acknowledging the promptitude and cheerfulness with which the Citizens of Auckland have,j at great loss and inconvenience to themselves, performed their duties as Militiamen and Volunteers during the present emergency: The Government regrets, however, that the promoters of the Petition presented to His Excellency, did not make themselves more fully acquainted with the matters of which they complain before taking the steps they have adopted; as on enquiry they would hav e found that the action of the Government was not illegal, and it was taken only with an anxious desire to relieve the citizens of Auckland from as much loss and inconvenience as possible. It has always been competent for any one to provide a substitute, and this has frequently been done; but in consequence of the great difficulty of obtaining substitutes, the relief thus afforded to the community was small, and, to individuals, was a most expensive arrangement. Large numbers of persons, also, under the pretence of having contracts witli the Commissariat Department, obtained total or partial exemptions from Militia duties, and tlniß extra duty was imposed on the other portion of the Militia Force. The G ovcrnmont therefore resolved to introduce substitutes from the other Colonies for those who wished to avail themselves of their services, requiring a payment in each case of £10, about the actual cost incurred in passage money and outfit. A commencement was made to act on this plan with pcr:;ons who applied for exemptions on.various grounds, and. in the most urgent cases these were granted as far as practicable ; but the applications p< 6aaie so numerous, that.on the urgent representation of the Military authorities it was discontinued uniil the arrival of an additional number of the men expected. These men have now arrived, and the Government trusts that as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made, the resumption of this plan will afford sufficient relief from the present severe pressure; The .statement prominently put by-the promoters of the Petition, that in conse uence [of arrangements made by the Government for receiving £10 to procure substitutes, extra duty has been ■imposed on the remainder of the Militia, is not born out by the facts of the case, either with reference to the whole Militia force; or to that portion of it stationed at Drury. The exemptions granted on the. present creation, of .which complaint is made, nre not so numerous as they were on the last occasion when the Auckland Militia and Volunteers were in the field, for at the time the Government closed the .Exemption Office, before the £10 plan wan resolved on, there, were in force 329 exemptions from duty, gr&r.ted by the Exemption Board (exclusive of Medical exemptions,) whilst at the time, the Resolutions were passed at the Public Meeting, there were only 170 in force, including all the £10 exemptions then granted; 30 that; there were really 150 more men availablefor duty at that time than before,the,Government undertook tf>'.provide Substitutes. The number required from the Militia and Volunteers iiy the Military Authorities for scirvice at, Di'ury was 300 jl :This number has been there ever since the Militia was recently ordered out, and the number, even after the withdrawal of the few men whose applications for exemptions were granted, has never bee-.: '.•(lured btiow 300 ; so that there is no foundation for the .complaint that extra duty has been imposed upon the detachment stationed at that post, in con;•rijULOicc of the withdrawal of some of the men under the £10 system. Mr. "VV. Griffin, I have, &c, &c, &c, &c, Auckland. "William Seed.

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n-y r~\ ""jki rjK.i 'frr #. ymr rri /. ;>;. ) -■ • i :f''»x «;|' RETURN OP MILITIA EXEMPTIONS.