THE EARL OF CARNARVON, referring to the accounts which had recently appeared in the newspapers with respect to the disturbances in the northern island of New Zealand, asked the noble Duke the Secretary for the Colonies, Whether any despatches had been received by the Government on the subject.
§ THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLEregretted to say that it was not in his power to assert the incorrectness of the accounts which had appeared in the newspapers relative to the insurrection in New Zealand. The noble Earl was probably aware that the mail, viâ Southampton, had not yet arrived. He had, however, received a despatch from the Governor of New Zealand, viâ Marseilles, which, so far as it went, corroborated the accounts contained in the newspapers of yesterday and the preceding day. The extent of the insurrection appeared to be somewhat doubtful, but on the arrival of the mail at Southampton, no doubt further despatches would be received by the Colonial Office. No doubt despatches would be received by 418 the Horse Guards by that opportunity, none having been received by that Department through Marseilles. Until those despatches arrived it was impossible to say what measures the Government would find it expedient to take; he would, however, immediately put himself in communication with the Commander-in-Chief and with the Secretary of State for War on the subject. He was glad to state that everything that was possible in the nature of local effort had been made. Three vessels of war had been despatched to New Zealand from our Australian Colonies. He had reason to believe from a private letter that the Pelorus had proceeded from Melbourne with 600 men on board, and that another of Her Majesty's ships had left Sydney for New Zealand with a similar reinforcement. He could not suffer the opportunity to pass without expressing the admiration he felt at the conduct of the Volunteers in these Colonies. This newly-formed force, which was extending as widely in our Colonies as in this country, had offered to embark for New Zealand, and leave their homes and families, if called upon, to put down the insurrection. In all our Colonies, in North America, Australia, and elsewhere, a desire for self-defence, and to act as Englishmen were now doing, was manifested. Standing there as Secretary of State for the Colonies he was bound to bear testimony to the zeal and alacrity with which the Volunteers had come forward in this distant part of the globe, and their readiness to leave their homes and their ordinary occupations upon a great public emergency in order to re-establish peace and security.
THE EARL OF CARNARVONsaid, he should be glad to know the date of the last despatch received by the noble Duke.
§ THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLEsaid, his last despatch from the Governor General of New Zealand was dated March 31. The private letter apprizing him of the reinforcements from Melbourne and Sydney was dated April 18.