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A.—l\ To. 1

DESPATCHES EP.OM THE SECRETARY OF STATE

military force is being withdrawn, the order for advanced posts, and I having myself, as the the removal of each separate detachment is a Secretary of State is aware, urged on His Excelniatter of the greatest nicety requiring much lency to allow me to carry out my orders for thought, and that frequent changes in the state of their withdrawal, the whole question of the the country may require a corresponding change detention of these troops at all or any of the posts in the intended removal of detachments, even at still maintained, is one with which I have ceased to the last moment, and that it was essential that the have had anything to do beyond awaiting His General should be near me. A reference to my Excellency's decision. Hi* Excellency, therefore, correspondence will show how earnest and repeated being responsible for the retention of the troops have been my statements to this effect to the at the outposts, and never having seriously conHome Government and General Chute. The suited me on the subject of the maintenance or evils I stated would arise—if I was deprived of withdrawal of any particular detachment, there tho assistance I needed —have now, I fear, come, can be, so far as I see, no inconvenience to the Some of them have already fallen on the Colony, public service in this respect, resulting from Head and nothing but vigorous and united action can Quarters being at Auckland, beyond the delay of avert the others. the three or four days for the transmission to me of the order of withdrawal, and I am sure His Excellency will give me credit for not allowing a day's delay to take place after he favours me with his orders. I am not aware what those evils are which His Excellency states have befallen the country, but whatever they are, and if anyone be responsible for them, Her Majesty's Government have before them the best means, of determining where that , responsibility lies. It is a question on which lam not competent to judge beyond feeling that I have not the remotest connection with it. 5. The Home Government has, unfortunately, 5. As the first sentence of this paragraph implies from imperfect knowledge, sided in view with the that the Home Government, when deciding that Major-General. I shall, however, now require Auckland was the place for Military Head Quarhim to reside at the Seat of Government until ters, acted on imperfect information submitted by further orders are received from Home, unless he me, and as a subsequent part of this paragraph is in the field, and at all risks I shall enforce this implies that I acted improperly in submitting the determination; but I believe, that General Chute, question as I did to the Secretary of State, it is when he sees this Despatch and its Enclosures, wili right that I should here state clearly my action in himself feel the necessity of rendering me that the matter. assistance he is so well capable of doing, and will In November, 1865, on receiving the first comearnestly and well support me in the crisis which munication from His Excellency stating the has come. I think, however, that the General here inconvenience he sustained from my not being at should be told, that in a country in a state of Wellington (to which place the Seat of Governrebellion, it is his duty in all instances, in a ment had been removed), I submitted to him conciliatory and proper spirit, to comply with the serious objections that existed to the permalawful requisitions of the Governor, and not to nent establishment of Head Quarters at Welraise factious or needless questions regarding lington at such a distance from the Executive the propriety of these ; and even if he thinks Military Departments, at the same time informing it right to raise questions, to comply cheerfully in him that I would myself visit Wellington, from the first instance with the requisition, and then time to time, and, in addition, whenever he refer the question home, rather than contest a particularly wished it, meanwhile, if he so desired, matter, point by point, and refer it home, either stationing a staff officer of rank there to furnish not complying with tho requisition, or yielding it him with any information he might require. His an imperfect and therefore useless compliance Excellency did not reply to my letter, and when until an answer has been received. Above all five months had passed I inferred that he conthings, he should be instructed not to refer such sidered the reasons I submitted to him against my questions home, without an opportunity of report- continued residence at Wellington to be sufficient, ing on them by the same mail by which his letter and that he allowed the matter to drop. It will goes. have been observed that, in my letter of the 7th December, 1865, a copy of which was enclosed in my Despatch of the 7th April, No. 154, I intimated that I proposed submitting the matter to Her Majesty's Government. When five months passed without any answer from His Excellency, I then thought it my duty to acquaint the Secretary of State with what had passed, and to obtain his approval, or otherwise, of my opinions ; and this I did not so much on the grounds of the general importance of the question, which, from His Excellency's silence, I could not believe to be paramount, as because I was desirous of ascertaining for my future guidance in conducting the duties of the command, whether the Secretary of State for War agreed in my opinion that the discipline and administration of the force could be best provided for by my being on the spot here with the Military Departments. I furnished His Excellency, on the 21st May,