TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND.

A.—No. 1

31

of time. The operations are under the direction instructions, as every Officer in the command of Major Eocke, of the 18th Eoyal Irish, a good would have done. My letter to His Excellency, and promising Officer, and are not under the of the 12th July, enclosed in my Despatch to you direction of a Colonial Officer. of the Ist instant, No. 342-66, informed His Excellency of my readiness to undertake any operations for which he would give me instructions. 11. The fact is, that the operations of the 11. With regard to His Excellency's remarks Military Forces of all kinds are paralyzed by the that the Governor can only give instructions absence of the General. Events of urgency occur through the General, I would observe that all from day to day, which render necessary constantly Officers commanding districts, regiments or posts, varying instructions to Officers commanding in this command, are well aware that it is their different posts. These instructions the Governor duty to obey any instructions given to them by can only give through the General; it is useless His Excellency. On several occasions since my to attempt to do so through an Officer at such a arrival here, His Excellency has given instructions distance as it is proposed the General should be direct to them, which have in each instance been kept from me. lam certain your Lordship, and promptly acted on. the Secretary of State for War, will feel this as In conclusion I would explain that on prostrongly as I do, when this Despatch and its ceeding to Wanganui in compliance with His enclosures have reached England. I also am sure Excellency's opinion, contained in his letter of that if the instructions I ask for are issued to tho the 15th October, I found that His Excellency General, no more such difficulties will take place, had already gone there, and assembled the force A great peril has again arisen in this country. I referred to in last paragraph, consisting of the believe that it has probably taken General Chute 18th E.1., under Major Eocke, and of the by surprise, and I feel confident that he will now Colonial Forces, under Major McDonnell. Some see how necessary it is his Head Quarters should rebels in the district gave in their submission to be near me, and that with the assistance I know His Excellency ; against others the troops moved he will give myself and the Colonial Government, on three different occasions, finding the last the existing difficulties will be got through. village where they expected to meet the remaining I have, &c, rebels in arms, deserted. G. Geet. His Excellency, with whom I had an interview in camp near Ketemarai, subsequently at Patea, and again at Wanganui, was satisfied with the result of the operations, and was returning to Wellington. He had no directions to give me, except for tho establishment of a new post in the Wanganui District, from which covering parties were to be furnished to protect the persons surveying the confiscated land. I then returned to Auckland, informing His Excellency that I was about to do so, having, in addition to other duties, to visit and inspect the troops in the Waikato District, which I have never yet been able to accomplish since I assumed the command in September, 1865. I may state that since that time, out of 430 days in the command, I have been 220 days absent from Auckland, in visiting the Governor, or carrying out his instructions. As soon as I visit the Waikato country, to which I proceed next week, and complete my inspection of the troops in the Province, I am, in deference to His Excellency's wishes and his intended order on the subject, proceeding to Wellington to remain there, until Her Majesty's Government decide on His Excellency's representations. T. Chute, Auckland, Major-General. 30th November, 1866.

No. 29. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon to Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B. (No. 19.) Sir, — Downing Street, 28th February, 1867. I have received, through the Secretary of State for War, copies of two Despatches, dated respectively the 13th and 16th November last, which you addressed to Major-General Chute, requesting that one Company of Her Majesty's Troops might be stationed at certain redoubts in the Patea District, to enable the Colonial Forces to be " employed as covering parties for the surveyors," and that Major Rocke, the Officer commanding in the district might be instructed to give all the protection in his power to the surveyors who were completing the survey in the vicinity of the redoubt at Turaturamokai.