A.—No. la,

112

DESPATCHES FROM THE GOVERNOR OF NEW

and to regard orders issued to me from so great a distance as intended to be general indications of a Une of policy to be pursued, but to be interpreted in each case by a reference to the great principles I have above named. I feel sure it is only by an observance of those principles that extended Empires can be maintained in safety and prosperity ; and I am also certain that these are the principles upon which the British Government expect us to act. But had you carried out the recent orders in concert with tho Colonial Government, you might have done so simply and strictly and with little injury to the country. You appeal to me to do you the justice to admit that you have exhausted all possible means to secure my sanction and consideration in acquitting yourself of the responsibility placed on you by Her Majesty's Government. It is with unfeigned regret that I state that I cannot do this. In the first place, I would remind you that you yourself suggested that this responsibility should be placed on you, and that Sir E. Lugard states that you had reported to the Home Government that I had prevented you from carrying out your instructions with regard to the removal of the troops ; and I would then say, that I owe it to the Colonial Government and to myself, whom you have deeply injured in the estimation of Her Majesty's Government, to add that all these difficulties would have been avoided if you had not so persistently neglected to comply with my reiterated requests and orders that you would reside at Wellington, where we should have been able to act in entire concert for the good of the service. In no other manner could you have satisfactorily, for the interests of the Colony and the Empire, discharged the duties you have been lately fulfilling. It is now useless to advert to the past, but my earnest advice to you still is to proceed to Wellington, and reside there for the remainder of your period of service in the Colony, however short it may be. You can there immediately adjust with the Government those outstanding questions regarding the location of the 18th Eegiment, the protection of stores, the future position of Military Head Quarters if a regiment is to be left in the Colony, &c, &c, &c. ; and I can assure you that on these and all other matters you shall receive the most friendly and cordial co-operation from myself and the Colonial Ministers, and that we will by all the means at our disposal render your duties as easy and pleasing for you as we possibly can. You must, from what I have already said, be aware that I cannot give my sanction to the movement of any troops in this command, until I have heard from the Colonial Ministers upon the subject, but I have already written to them regarding it. I have, &c, The Hon. Major-General Chute, &c G. Geet.

Major-General Chute to Governor Sir Geoege Geet, K.C.B. (No. 123.-67.) Sie, — Head Quarters, Auckland, 7th June, 1867. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, yesterday, of your Excellency's letter of the sth instant. I think it right to inform your Excellency with the least possible delay that the detachment 50th Begiment, at Taranaki, is about to embark in a few days for Australia, in pursuance of the orders of Her Majesty's Government; that transport has already been taken up ; and that I cannot take upon myself to disobey the instructions I have received, notwithstanding your Excellency's expression of opinion as to their Wisdom. I still beg to urge on your Excellency my humble opinion that it is absolutely necessary for Imperial interests that 150 men of the 18th Eegiment should be brought at once to Auckland for duty, for tho reasons stated in my letter of the 6th instant. It is not necessary for me, in the performance of a simple duty, to discuss with your Excellency the general principles affecting the maintenance of extended Empires. Your Excellency, I observe, in your Despatch under reply, makes no allusion to your repeated refusals, in answer to my urgent appeals, to give me instructions for the location of the 18th Eegiment, and the only information I obtained from you regarding them was that the Colonial Government declined their services on the conditions specified by Her Majesty's Government as those only under which they would sanction their remaining. I am not aware, under those circumstances, nor indeed under any, that it was my duty to consult the Colonial Government, if your Excellency means thereby the Colonial Ministers. I looked to your Excellency alone for support and orders, and I regret to say received none. The case, then, with regard to the 18th Begiment is, I respectfully submit, not at all that which a reader of your Excellency's Despatch, not acqainted with the facts, would infer, viz., that I am endeavouring to move troops against your orders; but in truth it is that, in consequence of your Excellency's repeated refusals to give me any orders, a consideration for the welfare of Her Majesty's troops compelled me to locate the corps to the best of my ability for the winter, and that I am now prohibited from so doing. The " Ahuriri " steamer by which I propose to proceed to Whanganui, and in which the detachment for Auckland was intended to return, has arrived. I therefore lose no time in addressing your Excellency in case you may wish, on being made aware that I do not feel justified in delaying tho 50th, to modify your orders (which your Excellency will understand I regard your letter as distinctly conveying) for the detention of the whole 18th Eegiment at Whanganui. If your Excellency is not pleased to do so I cannot, as already stated, do otherwise than employ special constables, for the expense of whom, consequent on your Excellency's alteration of your decision to take the responsibility of moving the troops, I do not feel myself in the least responsible. I request your Excellency will be good enough to favour me with a reply regarding the 150 men of the 18th Begiment as soon as possible, as I am waiting to communicate with the Besident Transport Officer regarding the disposal of the steamer "Ahuriri."