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I hope that the War Office will
soon be in a position to
propose to my Government the
conditions of service as referred
to above. I would suggest
that the regulations under
which Pensioners were settled
some years ago in New Zealand,
might be taken, to some extent,
as a model.
5. While anxious to
facilitate the settlement, on a
part of the public lands of this
Colony, of retired soldiers and
sailors of good character, the
Government of Queensland adhere,
(with my entire approval) to
the decision reported in my
despatch No 30 of the 4th April ult.,
and decline to sanction "the
formation, for service in this
Colony, of a permanent local
Corps, after the model of
the West Indian Regiments, and
other Colonial Corps."
6. It is with great
satisfaction that I now find,
from Mr. Chichester Fortescue's recent
speech on Colonial defences, and
from Mr. Sidney Herbert's speech in
the House of Commons on the 29th
June ult., that this decision of
my Government, and the reasons
on which it is founded (as
fully explained in the Minute
of Council enclosed in my
despatch No 30,) only anticipated
the views of Your Grace, and
of the Secretary of State for
War.
EN