Superintendent’s Office,
Auckland, 23rd May, 1861.

THE following correspondence is re-published from the New Zealand Gazette.
J. WILLIAMSON,
Superintendent.

AUCKLAND RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.

Auckland, 18th April, 1861.

Sir,—I have the honour to report for the information of His Excellency the Governor and the Ministry that, in consequence of the new medium Rifles and Accoutrements lately arrived from England being issued to the abovenamed Corps, those now in use for two and a half years, have been given into store, with the exception of four Rifles, &c., which are in possession of Members who are on leave of absence or sick.

I have to bring under notice the very creditable state in which the returned Rifles and Accoutrements have been handed in, considering the time they have been in use, and that, although nearly six hundred Members have had the use of them, not one Rifle or set of Accoutrements has been lost, and only very few of the sights and locks have been in any way injured, which a slight repair will render again serviceable.

The Corps consists of a Band and four Companies numbering three hundred and fifty-five Members, formed from almost all classes of society, and is rapidly increasing.

Sixty-two Members have been resworn three times, sixty-seven Members twice, and the remainder are in their first year of their service.

I take this opportunity of stating the following facts, that during the whole time I have had the honour to command this Corps, now two years and a half, I have never had occasion to bring under the notice of Government any Member (except one) for a breach of discipline, never received an uncivil word from any Member, nor have seen a drunken person on parade.

When the Troops left Auckland for Taranaki, the Corps volunteered to do Garrison duty and their services were accepted;—all orders have been cheerfully obeyed, with the exception of strict attendance on all parades, which has not been carried out by a few Members; a small proportion have been fined, but I have taken a lenient view in many cases, as with persons who volunteer their services, I do not think that extreme strictness should be enforced in all cases without distinction.

The firing by Members has greatly improved, particularly of late, in consequence of the encouragement held out by the Government and other prizes.

The Corps has been inspected during this year by Colonel Sir James Alexander and by Colonel Warre, and both those officers were pleased to signify their approval of its appearance and field movements.

I have, &c.,
H. C. BALNEAVIS,
Lt.-Colonel Commanding.

The Deputy Adjutant-General,
&c., &c., &c.

Private Secretary’s Office,

Auckland, 9th May, 1861.

Sir,—I am instructed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 18th April, addressed to His Excellency the Governor, covering a report from the Officer Commanding the Auckland Rifle Volunteers; you are requested to inform that Officer that this Report will be published in an early Gazette.

I am also instructed to request you to convey to Lieut.-Colonel Balneavis, the Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Men of the Auckland Rifle Volunteers, His Excellency’s warm thanks for their valuable services, and his congratulations on their efficiency and good conduct.

I have, &c.,
F. G. STEWARD,
Private Secretary.

The Deputy Adjutant-General of Militia.

RETURN OF ALL LANDS SOLD, AT THE WASTE LANDS OFFICE, AT MONGONUI, FROM THE 1ST TO THE 31ST OF MARCH, 1861.

Quantity of Surveyed Lands open for selection on the 31st March, 1861 ... 12,422 acres.

W. B. WHITE,
Deputy Waste Lands Commissioner.