Memorial to His Excellency the Governor from Inhabitants of Wellington.

To His Excellency Colonel Thomas Gore Browne, C.B., Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Islands of New Zealand, &c.

We, the undersigned inhabitants of the City of Wellington, have seen with the deepest regret and indignation the opposition which has been raised in the House of Representatives—chiefly by the Wellington members—against the policy of your Excellency in resisting by force of arms the rebellion at Taranaki. We feel convinced that your Excellency could not have avoided the war without serious detriment to the Queen's supremacy in this Island, and the true interest of both-settlers and Natives. Until the rebels have been subjugated and the murderers of our fellow-settlers have been punished, any peace with those who have taken up arms against the Government would be uncertain, insincere, and subversive of Her Majesty's dominion in this Island: With such a peace the authority of the law could not be maintained beyond the immediate precincts of the towns, nor could the mutual feelings of good-will and security which formerly prevailed between the two races be restored. We beg to offer to your Excellency our cordial approbation of the determination expressed by your Excellency to carry on the war with vigour, until ample retribution has been exacted for the murder of our fellow-settlers, and until the embers of rebellion have been utterly extinguished.

Governor Gore Browne to Messrs. Hart, Carlyon, and Others.

I beg to offer you my sincere thanks for the address I have received from you by the last mail. I can assure you that from the moment of my arrival in the colony to the present time I have earnestly endeavoured to promote the welfare of both races of Her Majesty's subjects, by every means in my power. It is most gratifying for me to know that so large a portion of the inhabitants of the oldest settlement in New Zealand approve the course which it has been my painful duty to pursue at Taranaki, and agree in thinking that the war could not have been avoided without serious detriment page 152to the Queen's supremacy and the best interests of both races. You will readily perceive that I could not venture to express any distinct opinion in reference to the future, but I can have no hesitation in assuring you that, however much I may desire the speedy re-establishment of peace, I do not wish to see it effected on any terms but such as would afford a reasonable expectation of permanence.