A.—Wo. u.

ZEALAND TO THE SECRETAEY OP STATE.

113

Memo., D. Qm.Gen., 21 May, 1867D. Qm.-Gen. to Res. Trans. Off., 22 May, 1867. Res. Trans. Off. to D. Qm.-Gen., 2!) .May, 1867. X). Qm.-Gen. to Ees. Trans. Off., 29 May, 1867. D. Qm.-Gen. to Off. Commanding, Whanganui, 30 May, 1867. Coombcs &, Daldy toßes.Trans.Off, 31 May, 1867. D. Qm.-Gen. to Res. Trans. Off, 1 June, 1867. Res. Trans. Off. to D. Qm.-Gen., 1 June, 1867. D. Qm.-Gen. to 1 Mr. Ampblott, 1 .1 une, 1867. D. Qm.-Gen. to Res. Trans. Off, 4 June, 1867. f Mr. Duncan, Man. N.S.N. Co., to Res. Trans. Off, 3 June, 1867, (rec. 5 June.)

I will reserve any further observations on your Excellency's letter until I am addressing the Secretary of State for War on the subject. I have, &c, T. Chute, His Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C.8., Auckland. Major-General. The Peivate Seceetaet to the Assistant Militaev Seceetaet. Sie, — Private Secretary's Office, Auckland, 7th June, 1867. The Governor has directed me to request you to inform the Major-General Commanding, in answer to his letter of this day's date, that he is sorry he cannot give his approval to the movement of any part of the 18th Eegiment within the Colony of New Zealand, until he has heard from his Besponsible Advisers, with whom he has already communicated. I have, &c., Feed. Thatcher, The Assistant Military Secretary, Head Quarters. Private Secretary.

Governor Sir Geoege Geet, K.C.8., to Major-General Chute. Sie, — Government House, Auckland, 31st May, 1867. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 30th instant, informing me that, for the purpose of the distribution of the 2-18th Begiment, you propose locating that corps as follows :— Head quarters, 5 companies, at Auckland, 2 companies at New Plymouth, 3 companies at Whanganui. My attention has been called to the fact that the public were made aware of this intention on your part before I was, by the insertion in the newspapers of the 22nd instant of an advertisement calling for tenders for the conveyance of detachments of the 2-lSth from Whanganui to the places named in your letter, which tenders were to be sent in by noon of the 29th instant. By the recent movements of troops within New Zealand which you made without my sanction, you have, I believe, seriously and unnecessarily injured the interests of the Colony. Even if you were authorized to make these movements on your own authority, and to concentrate the 2-18th at Whanganui, which I cannot admit, it is clear that you cannot proceed to distribute again that regiment within the Colony of New Zealand without my authority, previously obtained, for so doing. I offer no objection to your at once ordering the removal of the regiment from this Colony ; the instructions from home only authorized you to retain it here if the Colonial Government agreed to comply with certain conditions, and I have informed you that they decline to accede to those conditions. But I must request that no redistribution of the 2-18th Eegiment within this Colony of New Zealand may take place until I have had an opportunity of consulting my Besponsible Advisers upon the subject, which I will do without delay. It is due to them, at the moment they have such great difficulties to contend against, that no movements of Her Majesty's forces should take place within the limits of New Zealand which may interfere with their policy, or with the measures they are taking for the defence of tho country and the settlement of the difficulties prevailing in it, and I regret extremely that you should have issued advertisements in relation to these movements of troops without having previously consulted me on the subject. I have, &c, The Hon. Major-General Chute. G. Geet.

Enclosure 2 in No. 15. The Peivate Seceetaet to the Assistant Militaet Seceetaet. ; Sie, — Private Secretary's Office, Auckland, sth June, 1867. I have the honor by direction of His Excellency the Governor to request you to be good; enough to move the Major-General Commanding to cause to be supplied to His Excellency copies of: any orders to or correspondence with the Besident Transport Officer, the Officer Commanding the | 2-18th Eegiment, or any other persons, relating to the proposed movement of troops from Whanganui; to Auckland and Taranaki. I have, &c, The Assistant Military Secretary, Feed. Thatcher, Head Quarters. Private Secretary,

Enclosure 3 in No. 15. The Assistant Militaet Seceetaet to the Peivate Seceetaet. (No. 5046.) Sie, — Head Quarters, Auckland, 6th June, 1867. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the sth instant, requesting me to move the Major-General Commanding to cause His Excellency the Governor to be supplied with copies of any orders to or correspondence with the Besident Transport Officer, the Officer Commanding 2-18th Begiment, or any other persons, relating to the proposed movement of troops from Whanganui to Auckland and Taranaki. In reply, I am directed to forward for His Excellency's information the accompanying copies of letters as per margin. I have, &c, The Private Secretary, G. W. Dean Pitt, Lieut.-Colonel, Government House, Auckland. Assistant Military Secretary. 29