APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
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APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
(No. 1.)
Horse Guards,
12th July, 1851.
SIR,
Having had the honour to lay before the Commander-in-Chief your Letter of the 23rd February (marked Private), reporting the death, on the 8th January, of Major-General PITT, commanding the Troops in New Zealand, and His Grace having been in communication with the Secretary of State relative to the appointment of an Officer to succeed the late Major-General, I am now to intimate to you that Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD is to continue in command of the Troops at New Zealand, and that he, in consequence, is to be granted such allowance as the additional duty and responsibility may entitle him to receive.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) FITZROY SOMERSET.
To
Major-General WYNYARD, C. B.
Commanding the Troops in the Australian Colonies.
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(No. 2.)
Downing Street,
3rd July, 1851.
SIR,
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch, No. 26, of the 7th February last, reporting the death of Major-General Pitt, commanding Her Majesty's Forces in New Zealand, and strongly recommending that Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD, in command of the 58th Regiment, should be appointed to the command of Her Majesty's Forces in that Colony, with the rank of Colonel on the Staff.
Considering the reduction which has already been made in the force in New Zealand, and the probability that that reduction may be carried further at no distant period, I concur in the opinion you have expressed, that it is not necessary, in consequence of the death of Major-General PITT, to appoint another Officer of the same rank to this command, and that it may be properly entrusted to Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD.
On communicating, however, with the Commander-in-Chief, I find that it is not necessary, with this view, to confer on Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD the rank of Colonel on the Staff, and that it would be inconvenient to do so, inasmuch as Colonel DESPARD, the Senior Military Officer in Van Dieman's Land, which is within the same Military Command as New Zealand, does not hold an appointment as Colonel on the Staff, though he is considerably senior to Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD.
It has consequently been arranged that Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD should be left in the command which he now holds over the Troops in New Zealand, with such allowances as the additional duty and responsibility may entitle him to receive, but without the local rank of Colonel on the Staff
I have, &c.,
(Signed) GREY.
Governor Sir GEORGE GREY, K. C. B.,
&c. &c. &c.
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[The following Despatch, though not in the order of dates, which is generally regarded in the arrangement of these documents, may be properly introduced here, as showing that, in 1854, a further recommendation for Rank in the Service failed only for the same reason as that assigned in 1851.]
Downing Street,
19th May, 1854.
SIR,
I have received a Despatch from Sir GEORGE GREY, bearing date the 30th December, and marked "Confidential," in which, referring to the circumstances of your past services, and of your present position in New Zealand, he suggests that advantage would accrue to the Public Service, were it in my power to recommend you to the Queen for the appointment of Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty, or to procure your being appointed to be Colonel on the Staff.
The Despatch which was written to Sir GEORGE GREY by my predecessor on the 3rd July, 1851 (Military No. 86), will explain to you the reasons why it was not deemed expedient to confer on you the Rank of Colonel on the Staff at that time; and as these reasons still subsist, I regret my inability to comply with the wishes of Sir GEORGE GREY on that subject.
With respect to the office of Aide-de-Camp to the Queen, I have to acquaint you that the Secretary of State never interferes with the recommendations to Her Majesty for that appointment.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) NEWCASTLE.
To
Lieut.-Governor WYNYARD.
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(No. 3.)
Government House, Auckland,
April 14th, 1851.
SIR,
I have the honour herewith to transmit Letters Patent under the Great Seal of these Islands, appointing you, until Her Majesty's further pleasure is known, Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of New Ulster.
It has afforded me very great pleasure to have the opportunity of making this appointment, and of thereby publicly expressing my sense of the great value of the services you have rendered these Colonies during the period of nearly six years, during which you have been quartered here; and also of evincing my entire confidence that you are in every way qualified to render even greater assistance to the Public Service than heretofore, if fitting opportunity is afforded to you: and I shall not fail to transmit these opinions to England, in order that they may be brought under Her Majesty's notice at the same time that your appointment as Lieutenant-Governor of this Province is reported for the Queen's information.
If it is convenient to yourself, I would propose that the Oaths of Office as Lieutenant-Governor and Senior Member of the Executive Council, should be administered to you in the presence of the Executive Council, at eleven o'clock to-morrow morning, at Government House.
I have, &c.,
G. GREY,
Governor-in-Chief.
His Excellency
Lieut.-Colonel WYNYARD, C. B.
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(No. 4.)
Government House, Wellington,
July 3rd, 1852.
SIR,
I feel much pleasure in transmitting to your Excellency copies of the two Despatches named in the margin, notifying to me that Her Majesty has been pleased to issue a Commission under the Royal Sign Manual, appointing you Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of New Ulster.
The original Despatch containing your Commission has not yet reached me, and the duplicate Despatch was only received late yesterday; but so soon as I receive the original Despatch with your Commission, I shall do myself the pleasure of transmitting it to you without delay.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) G. GREY.
P. S. --10th July, 1852. Since writing the above, I have had the pleasure of receiving your Excellency's Commission, which is herewith enclosed.
(Signed) G. GREY.
His Excellency
Lieutenant-Colonel Wynyard, C. B.
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(Enclosure No. 1.)
Downing Street,
10th November, 1851.
SIR,
I have received your Despatch, No. 66, of the 9th of May last, reporting the provisional appointment of Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD as Lieutenant-Governor of New Ulster, with the same rate of Salary which was enjoyed by his Predecessor, Major-General PITT.
I have to convey to you Her Majesty's approval of that appointment, and I shall transmit to you the necessary Warrant for giving effect to it.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) GREY.
Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B.
(. Enclosure No. 2.)
Downing Street,
21st, November, 1851.
SIR,
With reference to my Despatch, No. 91, of the 10th instant, I transmit to you herewith a Commission under the Royal Sign Manual, appointing Lieutenant-Colonel ROBERT HENRY WYNYARD, C. B. to be Lieutenant-Governor of New Ulster in the Colony of New Zealand.
I have, &c., (Signed) GREY.
Governor
Sir GEORGE GREY, K. C. B.
&c. &c. &c.
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(No. 5.)
Government House, Auckland,
October 21st, 1853.
SlR,
I have much satisfaction in transmitting for your information the copy of a Despatch I have received from the Duke of Newcastle, expressing His Grace's sense of the services you have rendered in the administration of the Government of the Northern Province of New Zealand, during my protracted absence from it.
I have, &c.,
G. GREY.
His Honor
Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD, C. B.
(Enclosure.)
Downing Street,
10th June, 1853.
SIR,
I have received your Despatch, No. 3, of the 3rd of January last, transmitting a Report from Lieutenant Governor WYNYARD on the state of the Northern Province, and intimating your intention of proceeding to Auckland on the termination of the Session of the Legislative Council at Wellington.
In acknowledging your Despatch, I have to express my sense of the services which Colonel WYNYARD has rendered in the administration of the Government of the Northern Province during your protracted absence from it.
I am, &c.,
(Signed) NEWCASTLE.
Governor
Sir GEORGE GREY, K.C.B.
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(No. 6.)
Downing Street,
24th October, 1853.
SIR,
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch, No. 48, of the 9th of May last, enclosing copy of a Report on the condition of the Province of New Ulster, addressed to you by Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD, upon his retirement from the office of Lieutenant-Governor of that Province, together with a copy of the answer which you returned to him on that occasion.
In reply, I must express my satisfaction at the evidence which the Report affords of the progress of New Ulster, during Colonel WYNYARD's tenure of office.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) NEWCASTLE.
Governor Sir GEORGE GREY.
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(No. 7.)
Auckland, N. Z.,
25th April, 1853.
SIR,
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch, No. 163, of the 2nd instant, in which, in resigning, in conformity with the terms of the recent Act of Parliament, the duties which Her Majesty had entrusted to you as Lieutenant-Governor of New Ulster, you at the same time furnish me with a very gratifying Report upon the present position and future prospects of this Province.
I cannot permit you thus to retire from office, without placing upon record my sense of the able, zealous, and entirely satisfactory manner in which you have discharged the important duties with which you were entrusted.
To the manner in which those duties were fulfilled by you, I believe the continued advances of this Province in prosperity are greatly to be attributed; anil I shall not fail to bring under the notice of Her Majesty's advisers, the sense which I entertain of your services.
I have, &c.,
G. GREY.
The Hon.
Lieut.-Colonel WYNYARD, C.B.
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(No. 8.)
To Lieut.-Colonel WYNYARD, C. B., &c. &c. &c.
SIR,
We, the undersigned Electors of the Province of Auckland --being deeply impressed with a conviction that the realization of the benefits which the New Constitution Act proposes to confer, must in a large measure depend, so far as Provincial affairs are concerned, on the election of a Superintendent in whom the people generally can repose confidence--are especially anxious that, at this critical juncture, a candidate should be before the Constituency, in whose behalf the sympathies of men of all classes and all political views might be united. Such a candidate, we are satisfied, may be found in yourself, Sir; and we scarcely hesitate to add, in yourself pre-eminently. Your long residence in this district, your constantly manifested interest in its prosperity, and your extended and well earned popularity, would of themselves have been sufficient to indicate your great fitness for the office; but when to these considerations we add the very acceptable and harmonizing manner in which you have performed the office of the Lieutenant-Governorship of New Ulster during the last two years, we find in you a combination of qualifications such as certainly are not united in any other person, and such as we are sure would command all but universal support.
We, therefore, SIR, respectfully and earnestly request that you will allow yourself to be put in nomination for the office of Superintendent of the Province of Auckland.
(Signed by 500 of the Inhabitants.)
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(No. 9.)
Auckland,
May 22nd, 1853.
SIR,
In reference to the expression of opinion you have requested from me regarding the propriety of your permitting the inhabitants of this Province to elect you to the office of Superintendent, whilst you still occupy the position of Officer commanding the Troops in New Zealand, I have to offer the following remarks:--
I shall not enter into the general question of the expediency of Officers in your position offering themselves for elective offices in the Colonies. The real question in this case, is whether Officers to whom special and difficult duties are entrusted by the Queen in distant possessions of the Crown, are justified, under circumstances of difficulty, in doing that which tends to the advantage of Her Majesty's service, and the security and welfare of Her subjects.
In the case I am now considering, I reported to Her Majesty's advisers that I thought you ought, for the space of three or four years, to be left in the position of a Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand, because I believed that the interests of the Native Race, the safety of Her Majesty's Troops, and the welfare of the European Inhabitants required that, for a few years, in the event of my absence from the Province, the Chief Civil Authority should vest in the hands of one well acquainted with Military affairs.
Parliament did not concur in this opinion, although its members did not possess any great knowledge of this country, and were not responsible for the difficulties that might occur from a contrary procedure, that responsibility being left upon the Officers of the Crown; and it was enacted by the authority of Parliament that the Chief Executive Officer in this part of New Zealand should without delay be elected by the people of the Province.
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I now understand that the very great majority of those persons who have the greatest stake in the country, concurring in the justice and wisdom of the views I expressed, are anxious to give effect to them by electing you to the office of Superintendent. I still think I was right in the recommendations I made upon this subject, and therefore earnestly recommend you, without interfering actively in their proceedings, to allow them to elect you as their Superintendent if they think proper to do so, and then to accept the office and undertake its duties. I am quite satisfied that you will best discharge your duty to Her Majesty and to your country by adopting that course.
I have, &c.,
G. GREY.
The Hon.
Lieut.-Colonel WYNYARD, C.B.
&c. &c. &c.
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(No. 10.)
Assistant Military Secretary's Office,
Sydney, 20th June, 1853.
SIR,
In acknowledging the receipt of your Letter, of the 23rd of April last, with its enclosures relative to the election of a Superintendent under the New Constitution Act for the City and Province of Auckland, I am directed to convey to you the entire approval of the Lieutenant-General commanding, of the course adopted by you, in complying with the wish of so large a number of the Electors, in allowing yourself to be put in nomination for that office.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) ED. WYNYARD,
Assistant Military Secretary.
Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD,
Commanding the Troops, &c
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(No. 11.)
Horse Guards,
7th November, 1853.
SIR,
Your Letters of the 20th April, 24th May, and 13th July, addressed to the Adjutant-General, relative to your election to the office of Superintendent of Auckland, New Zealand, having been laid before the General Commanding-in-Chief, and by his Lordship's desire referred for the decision of the Secretary of State, I have now the honour, by Viscount HARDINGE'S request, to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a Letter which has been received from the Colonial Department, stating that the Duke of NEWCASTLE will not object, under the special circumstances of the case, to your accepting the office to which you have been elected by the constituency of the City and Province of Auckland.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) R. AIREY,
Military Secretary.
Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD, C.B.
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(No. 12.)
Downing Street,
4th November, 1853.
SIR,
Having laid before the Duke of NEWCASTLE your Letter of the 21st ultimo, with its enclosures, relating to the election of Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD, commanding the Troops in New Zealand, to the office of Superintendent of Auckland, I am directed to request you will inform the General Commanding-in-Chief, that although His Grace does not approve of a military officer serving or commanding the Troops in a Colony, being charged with the exercise of subordinate civil functions in that Colony, yet that under the circumstances of the case of Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD, His Grace is disposed to consider that it may form an exception to the general rule, and will not, therfore, object to Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD's acceptance of that office.
I am, &c.,
(Signed) HERMAN MERIVALE.
Colonel AIREY,
Military Secretary.
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(No. 13.)
Government House,
Auckland, 31 st December, 1853.
SIR,
Being upon the point of embarking for England in the Commodore, to avail myself of the period of leave of absence which has been granted to me by Her Majesty's Government, the temporary administration of the office of Governor-in-Chief of these Islands, and of the office of Governor of New Zealand will devolve upon you, in the terms of the Charter of 1846, and of the recent Commission of the Governor of New Zealand.
The Colonial Secretary will hand over to you the Great Seal of the Islands, a copy of the Charter and Royal Instructions of 1846, the Commission of the Governor of New Zealand, and the Instructions which accompanied that Commission; and all Despatches addressed to myself, or the Officer administering the Government, will for the future be delivered to you during my absence, although 1 still hold the office of Governor-in-Chief, and Governor of New Zealand.
I think it right to mention to you that, in originally proposing for New Zealand the Constitution which has been conferred upon it, I drew the draft of that Constitution with the intention that the Provincial Councils should in the first place meet, and after having exercised their powers, and ascertained what further powers it was necessary the General Assembly should concede to them or to their Superintendents, and after they had been practised in the exercise of, and fully understood the rights which Parliament intended they should enjoy, I then proposed to call together the General Assembly, who would then be enabled to supply the deficiencies, if any, in the Constitution of the Provincial Councils, they having been practically
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ascertained. I had even hoped that Parliament would have permitted the Provincial Councils, upon their assembling, to have elected the members of the Upper House of the General Assembly; but this point was not conceded.
I, however, still saw no reason to depart from my original view, that the Provincial Councils should be first assembled, believing this mode of proceeding to be most consistent with the intention of Parliament and the spirit of the Act of Parliament, whilst it certainly was my own intention on proposing the Constitution I did; and it clearly seemed to be that mode of proceeding which was most likely to foster a love and capacity for self-government in the different Settlements into which these Islands are divided. I therefore adopted that plan of proceeding, intending, when the Provincial Councils had fully adjusted the affairs of their own Provinces, to call the General Assembly together, if the Public Interests, and the well understood wish of the majority of the Settlements appeared to render such a proceeding on my part a matter of expediency; and with that view I have called to the Upper House of the General Assembly some of the leading gentlemen in each Province.
When I did assemble it, I proposed to have made Auckland the place of its meeting, feeling bound to adopt that course, from the pledges given on the first establishment of the Colony by Her Majesty, and by my own subsequent promise that I would, in as far as depended on myself, assemble for the present the General Council alternately at Wellington and Auckland.
Perhaps, without fettering your discretion, I might add to these remarks as to my intentions: I had proposed to myself to allow each Province, as far as practicable, to manage its own Lands by Provincial Laws, which would be subject to the approval of the Governor, who could thus have seen that in each Provincial Law the general interests of the Provinces collectively were protected; and to give full effect to this system, I had further proposed powers of Commission for this purpose, which are in the hands of the Attorney-General.
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The other object I intended to endeavour to attain was, that with the exception of having further provision made by the General Assembly for the administration of justice, the cost of the Circuits and Officers of the Supreme Court, &c., the whole expenditure of that portion of the Revenue now under the control of the Provincial Councils, should still have been left in their hands.
With these remarks I confide to you the administration of the affairs of these Islands during my absence.
Your Sovereign is aware that it is into your hands this weighty charge is to pass, and you will, I am well assured, exercise wisely the extensive powers with which your Queen thus entrusts you.
My good wishes for your successful execution of such a difficult task shall always attend you, and I will do my utmost to obtain for you that cordial support from the Authorities at Home which you will undoubtedly require.
I have, &c.,
G. GREY.
Governor-in-Chief.
The Hon.
Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD, C.B.
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(No. 14.)
EXTRACT from ADDRESS on opening the First General Assembly, on the 27th May, 1854.
On the departure of Sir GEORGE GREY, and during his absence from the Colony, it becomes my duty, as Senior Military Officer in this country, and in obedience to Her Majesty's commands, to assume the powers and duties of Governor and Commander-in-Chief of these Islands, in conformity with the Regulations prescribed for my guidance by the Royal Letters Patent, and instructions now in force in that behalf.
When I entered upon the duties of office, as Head of the Civil Government of the country, the crowning act for giving effect to the measure for granting a Representative Constitution to the colony was still to be performed.
Holding office but temporarily--feeling myself bound not to embark in any measure which may embarrass the policy or affect the duties of the permanent Governor of the country, and believing that statesmanlike qualities of a high order are needful for conducting to a successful issue the experiment in Constitutional Government about to be attempted in New Zealand--I might well have shrunk from the responsibility of calling together the first and most momentous Meeting of the General Assembly. But, possessing the necessary legal authority, and seeing that Her Majesty's subjects in New Zealand have a right to the exercise of the powers conferred upon them by the British Parliament, I felt that I ought not to allow considerations personal to myself to disappoint their expectations, and to delay them indefinitely in the enjoyment of their constitutional privileges; and, trusting that under the circumstances under which the government of the country has devolved upon myself, I may rely upon your friendly co-operation and cordial support, I determined to summon, and I have this day been allowed the memorable privilege of opening the FIRST PARLIAMENT OF NEW ZEALAND.
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(No. 15.)
EXTRACT from the Minutes of the Proceedings of the House of Representatives, 6th June, 1854.
Resolved, that a respectful Address be presented by the Speaker to the Officer Administering the Government, praying that His Excellency will be pleased to take the following resolution into his serious and early consideration, viz:--
That amongst the objects which this House desires to see accomplished without delay, both as an essential means whereby the General Government may rightly exercise a due control over the Provincial Government, and as a no less indispensable means of obtaining for the General Government the confidence and attachment of the people, the most important is the establishment of ministerial responsibility in the conduct of legislative and executive proceedings by the Government.
(Signed) CHARLES CLIFFORD,
Speaker.
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(No. 16.)
Government House, Auckland,
10th June, 1854.
SIR,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of this day's date, and in reference thereto, beg to state I am happy to find you disposed and enabled to carry out the proposition made to you by me, on receiving a Resolution from the House of Representatives in connexion with the desire of that Body for a system of Responsible Government, and to acquaint you that I shall have pleasure in appointing you, and the two gentlemen named by you, to seats in the Executive Council, provisionally, till the pleasure of Her Majesty is known thereon; and be prepared, moreover, to repose in yon my entire confidence, while carrying on the legislative business of the Government through the Assembly.
The Introduction of a member into the Executive Council, I conceive uncalled for at present; it might embarrass the Officer appointed to relieve me, and, on the other hand, the interest of the Auckland community can never fail to enjoy protection while the existing members retain their seats in the Executive Council.
With regard to the third and last point alluded to, I feel convinced you will agree with me in the inexpediency of my disturbing in any way, as temporarily administering the Government, the position of those now in office, at all events till I am honoured with the views of Her Majesty's Home Government, on the steps I have already taken. In the meantime I have not failed to make known to the gentlemen concerned, the tenor of your concluding paragraph, in reference to which, no hesitation I find exists on their part to meet the requirements of Her Majesty's Government, as will be seen by the enclosed copies of Notes I have received from them on the subject.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) R. H. WYNYARD,
Officer Administering the Government.
J. E. FITZGERALD, Esq.
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(No. 17.)
The House of Representatives humbly approach your Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, and pray that your Excellency will be pleased to accept an expression of the high satisfaction and deep sense of obligation towards you, with which the House has regarded your Excellency's prompt and unreserved compliance with their desire, that ministerial responsibility in the conduct of legislative and executive proceedings by the Government should be established without delay.
(Signed) C. CLIFFORD,
Speaker.
(No. 18.)
EXTRACT from Mr. Fitzgerald's "Confidential Memorandum," signed by the non-official members of the Executive Council.
Under these circumstances it is submitted that the wisest course --the course most consistent with the best interests of the country, would be that the present holders of office should place their resignations at His Excellency's disposal, and that so soon as the Executive Government Bill shall have passed, His Excellency should accept their resignations, and shall appoint to the offices of Government under that Bill, such persons having seats in the Houses of the Legislature as he may deem best able to conduct the affairs of Government in accordance with the wishes of the Legislative Bodies.
(Signed) J. E. FITZGERALD.
FRED. A. WELD.
T. H. BARTLEY.
HENRY SEWELL.
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(No. 19.)
With reference to the above "Memorandum."
Beyond the simple fact of accepting the resignation of the Colonial Secretary, and filling the position by a gentleman from the House of Representatives, I could not think of going. To require the holders of office to resign their posts till I am favoured with the views of the Crown on the steps I have taken, would not only be at variance with the original understanding, and beyond what I conceive my powers to he, but a want of proper respect on my part to the Home Authorities.
On assuming my present office, I found three recognised Government Officers as my advisers in the Executive Council. Circumstances occurred to induce me to introduce to that Council three members from the House of Representatives, and subsequently a member from the Legislative Council, making a majority of new members.
I found also, on coming into office, the old form of General Government in existence; I am now called upon to form an entire new form of Government, without even a reference to my Sovereign; thus throwing upon me, during my temporary administration of the Government, a grave responsibility I am not prepared or disposed to bear.
I have sanctioned the link between the Assembly and the Government by the introduction of four members into the Executive Council; I am prepared to accept the Colonial Secretary's resignation (subject to confirmation) if voluntarily laid before me; but I am not prepared to disturb the officers appointed by the Crown, or in any way to establish a new form of Government in the Colony of New Zealand, without reference home.
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If the formation of entire responsible Government is in keeping with the views of the Authorities at home, the arrangement is only a matter of time--a few weeks; if, on the other hand, it is not the wish of the Home Government, it is the more necessary I should wait instructions for my future guidance.
(Signed) R. H. WYNYARD,
Officer Administering the Government.
Government House,
Auckland, 1st August, 1854.
(No. 20.)
Downing Street,
8th December, 1854.
SIR,
I have to acknowledge your Despatches of the numbers and dates specified in the margin, reporting the proceedings which have taken place in the Assembly of New Zealand on the subject of the future Executive Government of the Colony.
As regards the most important portion of that subject, I have taken the earliest opportunity of informing you that Her Majesty's Government have no objection whatever to offer to the establishment of the system known as Responsible Government, in New Zealand. They have no reason to doubt that it will prove the best adapted for developing the interests as well as satisfying the wishes of the community. Nor have they any desire to propose terms or to lay down restrictions on your assent to the measures which may be necessary for that object, except that of which the necessity appears to be fully recognised by the General Assembly, namely, the making provision for certain officers who have accepted their offices
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on the equitable understanding of their permanence, and who may now be liable to removal. The only officers mentioned in your Despatches as likely to fall within this category, are the Colonial Secretary and Treasurer, and the Attorney-General, nor am I myself aware of any others; but I do not wish to fetter your discretion, if further consideration makes it, in your opinion, desirable to alter the list.
Should the arrangements made for this purpose be in your judgment satisfactory, you are authorised to admit at once the new holders of office under the responsible system, reporting their names for confirmation in the usual manner. There will be no occasion, on this supposition, for a further reference to the Home Government before the change is carried into effect. But if the arrangements proposed should not meet your approval, which I trust will not he the case, the appeal to the Home Government for ultimate decision will be unavoidable. * * *
The shortness of the time at my command, as I am anxious to answer your Despatches by the present mail, prevents me from entering on the details of the narrative contained in your Despatches; nor, indeed, does there appear any necessity for my doing so. * * *
The views of Her Majesty's Government on these points will be communicated to the Governor, who will, I hope, shortly proceed to New Zealand; but as you have yourself conducted the proceedings reported in your present Despatches, I have no hesitation in authorising you to act in person on my present instructions.
I have, &c.,
G. GREY.
The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.
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(No. 21.)
Downing Street,
2nd July, 1854.
SIR,
My attention has been called to the peculiar position in which you stand, in the capacity of Elected Superintendent of the Auckland Province of New Zealand, while at the same time, the subsequent departure of Sir GEORGE GREY has had the effect of investing you with the superior office of Governor for the time being of the whole Colony.
I am not led to address you on the present occasion from a reference to the question which has been raised as to the expediency of your holding the office of Superintendent of the Province while having the command of the Troops. I perceive from the Despatch of the late Governor, Sir GEORGE GREY, No. 112, of the 7th November last, that when objections were raised to such a combination of offices, you at once, and without hesitation, tendered your resignation of the Superintendency, which, however, the Governor did not think it necessary or expedient to accept. I also perceive from the correspondence between this office and the department of the General Commanding-in-Chief, which accompanied my Predecessor's Despatch, No. 9, of the 4th November, 1853, that although the Duke of NEWCASTLE considered that there were on general grounds objections to the arrangement, yet that His Grace judged that the peculiar circumstances of the case were such as to create an exception to the general rule, and to overcome the objections to your acting as Superintendent.
The subsequent event of your succeeding to the Chief Government of the Colony has, however, raised a new consideration. It appears to me that the offices of Governor and Superintendent are incompatible, and ought not to be held by the same person.
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I think it very probable that the case may have struck you in the same light, and that you may have already been led to resign your office of Superintendent; but if that should not have been the case, it will be desirable that you should lose no time in divesting yourself of that office.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) G. GREY.
Lieutenant-Colonel WYNYARD,
&c. &c. &c.
(Reply to the Above.)
Government House, Auckland,
5th October, 1854.
SIR,
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch of the 2nd of July last, marked "Separate," and to acquaint you in reply that, as it was quite uncertain how soon or when a successor to Sir GEORGE GREY might relieve me from the duty of administering the Government of this Colony, I never contemplated the resignation of the Superintendency of the Province of Auckland, especially as His Excellency, prior to his departure on leave of absence, saw no inconsistency in my retaining the two appointments as a temporary arrangement.
As, however, you now appear to have formed a different view of my position, I shall take an early opportunity of complying with your suggestion as soon after the meeting of the Provincial Council, which has been summoned to assemble on the 25th of this month (previous to the receipt of your Despatch), as the financial and other arrangements will admit; unless, in the meantime, I am actually relieved in the administration of the Government, or receive instructions to the contrary.
I have, &c.,
R. H. WYNYARD,
Officer administering the Government.
The Right Hon.
Sir GEORGE GREY, Bart.,
&c. &c. &c.
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(No. 22.)
EXTRACT from the Minutes of the Provincial Council, January 16th, 1855.
Resolved, that this Council, at the close of its second Session, and with the retirement of His Honor the Superintendent in immediate prospect, desires to record its sense of the cordiality which has existed throughout the whole of their relations with His Honor, and of his continual desire to co-operate with them at all times in advancing the prosperity of the Province.
(Signed) T. H. BARTLEY,
Speaker.
(Giving Cover to the Above.)
Government House, Auckland,
24th January, 1855.
SIR,
Having completed all the Provincial arrangements, I do myself the honor to inform you, in reference to your correspondence on the subject, that I have this day finally resigned, in obedience to your suggestions, the office of Superintendent of Auckland.
In conveying this information, I beg permission to enclose a copy of the Resolution of the Provincial Council, and also of my Address on proroguing that Body, in order that you may perceive the real position in which I stand in the estimation of the Representatives of the Inhabitants, and how far the epithet "Firebrand," used in the enclosure which accompanied my Despatch of the 22nd November last, in reality applies to me.
I have, &c.
R. H. WYNYARD.
The Right. Hon.
Sir GEORGE GREY.
&c. &c. &c.
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(No. 23.)
Downing Street,
6th June, 1855.
SIR,
I have to acknowledge the receipt of Colonel WYNYARD'S Despatch, marked "Separate," of the 24th January last, reporting his having resigned the office which he held of Superintendent of the Province of Auckland, and enclosing a copy of a Resolution of the Provincial Council on the occasion, and also of his Address on proroguing that Body.
In reply, I have to express my satisfaction at the good understanding which appears to have existed between Colonel WYNYARD and the Provincial Council, over which he presided, as evinced by the tone of the Resolution.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) J. RUSSELL.
Governor GORE BROWNE.
(No. 24.)
EXTRACT from an Address on opening the General Assembly, August 8th, 1855.
At the close of the Session it became my duty to transmit to the Secretary of State the representations which I had received, praying for the establishment of Responsible Government, and it afforded me much gratification to add my earnest recommendation in favour of granting that which I believe will be highly conducive to the welfare and advancement of the Colony.
On its being communicated to me that Her Majesty's Imperial Government had complied with our wishes, I took the earliest opportunity of making known that fact to the Colony. * *
It now rests with you to take the next step; on my part I can assure you that whatever remains to be done by me for the complete and satisfactory establishment of Responsible Government, will, without hesitation, be most cheerfully performed.
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(No. 25.)
EXTRACT from the Reply of the House of Representatives, 11th August, 1855.
We desire to convey to your Excellency our acknowledgments for the efforts made by you towards obtaining from the Imperial Authority the establishment of Responsible Government for this Colony.
(No. 26.)
Downing Street,
May 8th, 1852.
SIR,
With reference to your Despatch, No. 156, of the 15th December, enclosing the copy of a Letter from the Commissioner of the French Republic at Tahiti, expressive of his gratitude for the assistance rendered to the shipwrecked crew of the French Corvette Alcmene, by the authorities at Auckland, and especially by Colonel WYNYARD, while acting as Lieutenant-Governor of New Ulster, and Captain OLLIVIER, R. N., while commanding H. M. S. Fly, I have to inform you that a copy of that Despatch has been forwarded to the Board of Admiralty, with a view to the requisite communication being made to the last-mentioned officer; and I now transmit to you the copy of the Letter from the Foreign Office, with the copy of one from the French Ambassador at this Court, containing the acknowledgments of his Government for the conduct of both the officers in question; and I am to request that you will cause the thanks thus expressed by Count WALEWSKI to be communicated to Colonel WYNYARD.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) JOHN S. PAKINGTON.
Governor
Sir GEORGE GREY,
&c. &c. &c.
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(Enclosures in the Above.)
Foreign Office,
April 27th, 1852.
SIR,
I am directed by the Earl of MALMESBURY to transmit to you a copy of a Letter from Count WALEWSKI, the French Ambassador at this Court, stating that on the occasion of the loss of the French Corvette Alcmene, which was wrecked some time since on the coast of New Zealand, the Officers and Crew of that vessel met with a most kind and hospitable reception from the Authorities of that Colony, especially from Colonel WYNYARD and Captain OLLIVIER, to whom the French Government are particularly desirous that their acknowledgments should be conveyed for their conduct on the occasion in question.
I am therefore to request that you will lay Count WALEWSKI'S Letter before Secretary Sir JOHN PAKINGTON, and that you will move him to cause the thanks of the French Government to be conveyed to the two above-mentioned Officers.
I am, &c.,
(Signed) H. U. ADDINGTON.
HERMAN MERIVALE, Esq.
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(Translation.)
London,
23rd April, 1852.
MY LORD,
After the shipwreck of the Corvette of the Republic, l'Alcmene, which was unfortunately lost some months since on the coast of New Zealand, the Staff and Crew of that vessel met with the most hospitable reception from the British Authorities in Auckland. Mons. le Count JEAN D'HARCOURT, on his return to France, rendered an account to the Minister of Marine of the eager care with which he and the sailors under his orders were received and became objects of--particularly on the part of Col. WYNYARD and Captain OLLIVIER.
The Government of the Prince President wish to make known their thanks to those two Officers, and I beg your Excellency will testify their acknowledgments for the benevolent proceedings which they used towards the shipwrecked crew of the Alcmene, and in which I am pleased to find a new pledge of the sentiments of cordiality which unite our two Nations.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) A. WALEWSKI.
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Auckland,
July 1st, 1850.
Since the preceding pages were forwarded to the Printer, I have received another official communication which it would he necessary to add, if it were only for the purpose of giving completeness to the series of Documents. My friends will, however, at once perceive that, on other grounds, this possesses great, and, to myself, most gratifying, importance. The Documents already laid before them afford proofs of the approbation with which my discharge, of particular, or at least comparatively limited duties was from time to time honoured; but the following Letter seems to furnish in itself a compendious contradiction of all the imputations which my political adversaries have, on various occasions, endeavoured to cast upon my conduct, combining, as it does, the favourable judgments of the highest Authorities, both Civil and Military, in England; and embodying an unqualified testimonial to my public services, viewed as a whole:--
Horse Guards,
28th February, 1856.
SIR,
In obedience to the directions of the Field Marshal commanding, I do myself the honor to acquaint you that his Lordship has recently received a Letter from the Secretary of State for War, forwarding one from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, regarding your retirement from the office of Governor of New Zealand, on the assumption thereof by Colonel GORE BROWNE, and calling attention to the satisfactory manner in which you have performed the duties that have devolved upon you since you have been in the Island; and, in making this communication to you, I am directed to state, that while it affords the Field Marshal great
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satisfaction to have the means of recording so strong a testimonial to your services, both Civil and Military, he desires to assure you that it is not more than he would have expected from the character which you have always borne in the Service.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) C. YORKE.
Colonel WYNYARD, C. B.,
Commanding 58th Regiment,
&c., &c., &c.
Horse Guards,
6th February, 1857.
SIR, --I have the satisfaction to acquaint you that Her Majesty has been pleased to approve of your receiving from the Grant for Distinguised Service, an allowance of £100 per annum, from the 14th ultimo.
You will receive a communication from the Secretary of State for War as to the mode in which this allowance is to be paid to you.
I am, &c.,
(Signed) GEORGE.
Colonel WYNYARD, C.B.,
&c., &c., &c.
War Office,
7th February, 1857.
SIR, --I have the satisfaction to inform you that Her Majesty has been graciously pleased, on the recommendation of His Royal Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief, to nominate you as one of the Officers to receive a record for Distinguished or Meritorious Service, and that an authority will be sent to the Paymaster-General for issuing to you the sum of £100 a-year from the 14th January, 1857, inclusive.
I have the honor to add, that with a view to make this mark of Her Majesty's approbation of your conduct in the Service as
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as public as the names of those who formerly received Garrison appointments, your name will be inserted in the Army List as one of those Officers who have been selected to receive rewards for Distinguished or Meritorious Service.
(Signed) PANMURE.
Bt. Colonel R. H. WYNYARD, C.B.
Horse Guards,
10th January, 1858.
SIR, --Having submitted to the General Commanding-in-Chief your letter of the 5th September last, enclosing the copy of an address presented to you from the Governor of New Zealand, from the Superintendent and Provincial Council of New Plymouth, containing an acknowledgement of the services rendered by you to the inhabitants of that District; I am directed to inform you that it is very satisfactory to His Royal Highness to observe that the measures you had taken while administering the Government of the Colony were considered to have been so successful, and that any responsibility which you may have incurred is duly appreciated by the authorities of the Colony.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) C. YORKE.
Colonel WYNYARD, C.B.
Testimonial by the Home Authorities to Colonel Wynyard's Services.
In the Army Estimates for 1858-9 the following testimony is borne to the Services of Colonel WYNYARD in New Zealand, both in his Military and Civil capacity:-- "Colonel Robert Henry Wynyard, C.B., the services of this Officer were very meritorious in New Zealand, in the war with the Natives in 1846. On two different occasions he administered the Civil Government of the Colony for considerable periods with perfect success; and his services, both Civil and Military, in New Zealand, have been very valuable."
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