A.—No. 1a

34

DESPATCHES FROM THE GOVERNOR OF NEW

Majesty's Regular and Colonial Eorces, and which was so unfair to myself and my Ministers, and how invariably my representations on this subject have been treated with neglect by the Military Authorities. Her Majesty's Government can hardly blame me for not acquiring information, which arrangements, made with their consent, prevented me from obtaining. 10. I would now observe, that your Lordship is mistaken in thinking that five regiments remain in the Colony. Only three regiments and a wing of a fourth regiment remain here. Under your Lordship's instructions, two regiments and the wing of a third remain to be sent away. Six regiments and a wing of a seventh have already been sent from the Colony, and this great reduction of the force serving here bas been so effected, in a country still in rebelHon in parts, that no injury has accrued to Her Majesty's possessions or subjects. 11. Your Lordship teUs me that General Chute, so long ago as the 20th and 23rd of April, (1866), requested that he, might be enabled to send away the 2nd Battalion of the 14th Regiment and a wing of the 50th Regiment, and that it was not until the 18th of August, nearly four months afterwards, that I signified to him that I had no objection to this proposal—the consequence apparently being the detention of the troops named, and probably of other troops—long after they ought to have left the Colony. 12. Your Lordship has forgotten that General Chute commanded Her Majesty's Colonial Eorces, as weH as Her Majesty's Regular Eorces, and that I could not move detachments of Her Majesty's Colonial Eorces, raised and paid by the Colony of which I was Governor, except by orders issued by General Chute. In the case of the removal of each detachment of Her Majesty's Regular Eorces from the points they held, the question had to be considered which detachment could be moved first with the least danger of rousing again the smouldering elements of disaffection, and bringing on a new rebellion. Then I had to consider, under the same limitations, from what point Her Majesty's Colonial Eorces could be removed to supply the place of the regular troops; or whether a point previously held by such troops could with prudence be altogether abandoned. When I had made up my mind on these most difficult questions, I could only get them carried out by orders issued by General Chute. Sometimes at the last moment I found that from new circumstances arising in this disturbed country, or from the sudden march of rebels, combinations of movements I had determined on with the greatest thought and care had become, from the changes which had taken place, dangerous ; and that if instant arrangements were not made to stop them and substitute'others in their place, serious disasters would arise. At this time the General resided at a distance from me, in point of time, of about fifteen days; and I became positively afraid, under such circumstances, to venture to continue the movements of troops necessary to get them out of the country. Your Lordship is aware that for many months prior to Ist April, 1866,1 urged my difficulties in this respect on General Chute, and entreated him to move hisIlead Quarters to the Seat of Government, where alone the information was collected from all parts of my command, which could enable me to determine on the movements which should be made. General Chute's first and at that time only objection to doing so, made by himself to me, was the nature of the house accommodation which could be obtained in the Town of Wenington for his Staff. In my opinion there was no sufficient ground for this objection ; but the General shewed so evident a dislike to my proposal of his residing at Wellington that I felt that I must press this movement on him, wliich my duty compeUed me to press, with the greatest caution, or that it would result in differences which would embarrass the service. In spite of all my efforts to avoid this event, it took place. General Chute, as your Lordship is aware, referred home the question of the removal of his Head Quarters, without informing me he had done so, and the question Avas decided against my view without my having been heard on the subject. 13. When General Chute wrote to me in April, 1866, regarding the removal of the troops, he must have known perfectly weH from my previous communications that, having in view the safety of this part of Her Majesty's possessions, I would not venture to enter upon the subject until the Officer Commanding the