A.—No. 1

DESBATCHES EROM THE GOVERNOR OE

6

other horrible outrages, and that it was also a punishment in accordance with Maori usage, as well as with the laws of civilized nations. But it also seems to be now generally admitted that it was imprudent at the present time to occupy with settlers distant and isolated positions, such as, for example, Patea on the West, and Opotiki on the East Coast; both those districts being in the immediate neighbourhood of the most hostile tribes, and of the most impenetrable mountains and forests. In fact, what the Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Cardwell) foretold in his Despatch No. 54, of 26th April, 1866, to my predecessor, Sir G. Grey, has now come to pass. Mr. Cardwell then pointed out that "if the proposed new " settlements were too far advanced beyond the country already occupied, it might " prove impossible to abandon them without discredit, or to protect them without " disproportionate expense." On the Avhole, lam disposed to concur with those who argue that the military settlements ought to have been placed mainly, if not solely, on the open and easily defensible Waikato plain, and to have been protected by a line of posts drawn across the North Island (advantage being taken of the nature of the ground) from the sea at Aotea, or Whaingaroa, on the West Coast, to the sea at Tauranga, on the East Coast. A frontier might thus have been secured analogous to the old Roman frontier between the Eriths of Eorth and Clyde. 16. It is believed that in this, and in my previous Despatches on the same subject, I have given a full and accurate account of the present condition of this Colony. It remains for me to suggest wdiat should be done at this crisis, the most dangerous which has hitherto occurred (as the Chief Justice has observed) in the history of New Zealand. 17. It is universally hoped that the battalion of Imperial Troops which still garrisons four of the main centres of population (Auckland, Taranaki, Wanganui, and Napier,) will be left here, in accordance with the earnest desire of the New Zealand Parliament, on the terms offered by the Imperial Government, and under the circumstances stated in my Despatches Nos. 80 and 100. It will be recollected that New Zealand alone is paying for Native purposes, defence, and the interest of the war loan of three millions sterling (£3,000,000) nearly four hundred thousand pounds (£400,000) annually, that is, far more than the aggregate payments for similar purposes of all the Australian Colonies put together; and that these burdens render necessary taxes at the rate of £6 ss. per head of the population ; double the rate in the United Kingdom. It is trusted that one battalion will be left as some equivalent for this expenditure. But that battalion (the 2nd, 18th Royal Irish) numbers barely 750 effective officers and men, whereas there is good reason to believe that there are now as many Maoris in arms against the Crown as there ever were while there were 10,000 regular soldiers in the Colony; and the Government has received repeated warnings that the Maori King will, sooner or later, give the signal for a general rising of the hostile tribes, and a general massacre of the Colonists. With the utmost efforts that can be used, my Responsible Advisers appear to be unable to raise in New Zealand a permanent force of above 1,000 really effective men, in addition to the Militia and Volunteers, who are practically available only for the defence of their respective districts. Each private in the permanent force is paid ss. per diem, and with his rations, clothing, arms, &c, costs the Colony at least £150 per annum. 18. The settlers in the disturbed districts of the North Island are all but unanimous in desiring the help of at least one more regiment from Australia, whence aid was procured on several previous occasions. It appears to be generally agreed that if a second regiment is sent here, it is just that New Zealand should be called upon to pay for it on the same scale as that fixed for the Australian Colonies, i.e., £40 per annum for every officer and man. It is stated that the earnest and thorough-going advocates of what is termed " the self-reliant policy," are now almost entirely confined to the South Island, where there are hardly any Maoris, and where life and property are perfectly secure. Looking to the tenour of the Despatches from home respecting the Queen's Troops in this Colony, and to other considerations, the present Ministers are unwilling, except in case of dire necessity, to apply for any extraneous assistance beyond that which can be afforded by Her Majesty's ships on this station, and by the single battalion of regular