I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 101, of the 6th October last, in which, with reference to a suggestion which has been submitted to you by the Commanding Royal Engineer in New Zealand, that convict mechanics should be sent to that colony with the view of being employed on military works and buildings, you take occasion to recommend that a company of Sappers and Miners should be detached from this country for the performance of that service.

Auckland.—Pensioners to be employed as Mechanics.

I am aware of the inconvenience which must be felt from the want of mechanics; and in fact arrangements had been made, previously to the receipt of your communication on the subject, which will in some measure supply that difficulty, care having been taken that, in selecting the military pensioners who are enrolled for service in New Zealand, a selection should be made of about fifty men who have worked as carpenters, sawyers, bricklayers, masons, blacksmiths, painters, glaziers and miners; and I have instructed the Master-General of the Ordnance to send out a sergeant and twelve Sappers and Miners, who from their superior qualifications will be able to superintend the labours of the persons in question.

Introduction of Convicts.

The employment of convicts in New Zealand, under the effect of a general measure of transportation, would be entirely out of the question; but it may be deserving of consideration whether a limited number of men of that class, whose good conduct under confinement may render them fit objects of the Royal clemency, might not be sent to New Zealand with conditional pardons, in which, in addition to the ordinary conditions of such instruments, there should be one introduced requiring the persons to whom they should be assigned to work for the Government for a period of two years.

The Regular Troops shortly to be withdrawn.

I have to add that I do not contemplate the maintenance of any considerable force of regular troops in New Zealand for more than a very short time, as when emigration from this country shall be resumed, as I trust it soon will be, the increase of the European population will enable you to organize a Militia sufficient for all purposes of defence. I have, therefore, to instruct you to abstain from incurring any expense in the erection of permanent barracks which can possibly be avoided.