100

It is true that in that Province, a serious feud
has arisen amongst the Natives themselves, but
although there are two powerful parties ar-
rayed in hostility against each other, yet both
have hitherto been upon the most friendly terms
with the settlers, and profess an anxiety to
continue so.

A few months ago, I thought it my duty to
visit New Plymouth and personally ene
into the origin and nature of the m
sha
means best adapted to bring about an in
termination, and especially to make
acquainted with the position về thể
settlers.

I regret that my efforts to establish friendly
relations between the contending tribes, although
productive of some advantages in mitigating for
a time the spirit of hostility which existed, were
not so successful as I had ad at one time som
reason to hope they might have been.

Looking at the grement state of the native
population in that settlement, isolated as it
is and distant from every other, the settters
possessing no efficient means of defence, and
without the possibility of retreat, I feel spege
that a state of things exists which requires to
be carefully dealt with, to avoid what may
otherwise lead to disastrous consequences,

Although at present all the natives profess
to be, and I believe feel, most friendly dis-
posed towards the settlers, yet the Felative
position of the two races is such, that should
either of the contending parties of natives seek
shelter and protection in the town, it would expose
the industriesiderable danger of being mout that the engagement may be extended
dragged into a collision with the one party or the
other.

Fully impressed with the belief that at this
time the Settlement of New Plymouth requires
the special protection and and care of the General
Government, I have made arrangements nts for for its sta
tinning there, while the heads of a plan by which the establishment of a
troops, of the greatest strength available under
the present circumstances, and the first detach-
ment for this service will embark in the "Daste Date
of Portland, a transport, hired for the purpose.

The objects that I have in contemplation in
taking this step are confined to assuming a po-
sition to insist upon the neutrality of the Kare
pean population being respected, and to afford
the Government an opportunity to negoliate
with greater effect for the purpose of bringing
about friendly relations between the parties now
engaged in hostility.

In a country where the means of transport,
and gren of communication, are so imperfent,
the lodgment of small bodies of troops at a
great distance from each other, is highly objec-
tionable; but the present position of New Ply-
mouth is not an ordinary one, and I hope to
receive your ready co-operation in carrying
out those measures which the present circum
stances appear to me imparatively to require.

All the correspondetice and papers affording
information on this subject shall be laid be-
fore you without delay

The revenue for the past year, ended 30th June
last, will, I do not doubt, exceed the estimates
made at its commencement; the amount actually
received for the first two quarters, which are
all that we have yet received complete ac
counts of, has been £110,537 46, 11d, and there
is retoon to expect that the half year which has
since closed will be equally favourable.

Should such an expectation be realised, the
increase over the estimated revenue of the
year will be about £21,000.

There was, during the same period, a small
excess of expenditure over the sum voted by
the General Assembly.

I shall immediately transmit a full statement
of the accounts, with an explanatory Message.

The great advantages derived from the steam
communication which has been carried on be-
tween the Provinces for the last twelve months,
pát burcond regret that it should have been
ement with the Nelson
and I was anxious
e months longer,
ing to enter into
sale; such a proposal I did not feel myself justi-
fied to entertain, and I cannot recommend, as I
very much doubt its expediency, that the Co-
lonial Government should again become ship-
owners.

Anxious that the communication between the
Provinces should not be entirely cut off, I au-
thorised instructions to be given to the Collector
of Gustoms at Wellington to renew my offer of an
engagement with the Nelson, and in the event of
that being still declined by the agents of the
owners, to negotiate with the owners of the
Zingari to secure her services, if possible, to sup-
ply the place of the former vessel.

The result has been that the services of the
Zinguri have been engaged for three months
curtain, with a view to enable the members of
the General Assembly to attend the present
Session, and at its close to return to their.
homes. I have also made a conditional arranged
ment that the engagement may be extended
to twelve months, and I shall recommend to
the House of Representatives to make provision
for this service.

I shall transmit for your consideration a com-
munication which Lhave received from the Go-
vernor-General of Australia, uggeting the
establishment of a
monthly line of steam packets may be secured
to keep up the postal communication between
Great Britain and the Australian and New Zea-
land Colonies.

This is a subject that demands your earliest
attention, and I do not doubt that the great
convenience which has been felt in New Zea-
land from the discontinuance of steam comm-
unication between England and Australia, will
tend to induce you favourably to entertain any
reasonable proposition for assisting in its re-es-
tablishment.

I do not anticipate that the present Session need
be a protracted one. Legislation on important
subjects, not at the same time urgent, will not,
it appears to me, be desirable in our present state
of transition.

It has been communicated to me by the Secre-
tary of State for the Coloajos, that I may shortly
expect my successor in the Government, and it
has also been intimated to me that he has been
placed in possession of the views of Her Majesty's,
Imperial Government on several of the most
important subjects which engaged the attention,
of this Legislature during its former Semiong

Not only these subjects, but indeed every other
involving any important question of Policy,
would, I think, be more properly dealt with after
the Executive Government of the Country shall
will rest the responsibility of administering the
laws which shall be enacted.

In the present position of the affairs of the
Colony, the most suitable course, as it appears
to me, would be to limit the business of the Ses-
sion to what is absolutely necessary to be done,