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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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many, Pensioners
residing abroad.
It be necessary
may
here to give some explanation Causes of so how so many of these Pensioners reside out of the
United Kingdom.
Those in Hanover and other Continental States Hanover.
are the survivors of the German Legion, and ether
foreign corps, raised during the last Continental war. They are far advanced in years, and rapidly decreasing in number.
The black pensioners in the West Indies and West Indies. Western Africa have been discharged from the West India regiments, and are too aged and too much dispersed to admit of any military organization. The European Pensioners above referred to are chiefly persons holding appointments in addition to pension, such as barrack-sergeants, commissariat issuers, &c.
The Pensioners in the East Indies are chiefly men East Indies. discharged from corps in that country, who, having native families, prefer residing there to returning home. Being dispersed over the three Presidencies, and Ceylon, they are obviously too few for military purposes, even if fit for it.
any
Those in New South Wales are principally men New South Wales. discharged at various times from corps serving there,
or who have gone out at their own expense to settle
in the Colony. They are at present too much dis-
persed to be made available as a local force; but as their number increases, which it will no doubt do, arrangements may be practicable for bringing them under the same military organization as at home.
At the Cape of Good Hope the Pensioners are Cape of Good Hope. chiefly men who have been discharged from regi-
iments, and settled there; those in Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia. New Brunswick are of the same class, but are all New Brunswick.
100 widely dispersed throughout these Colonies to
be of any service as a local force, even if their ages
admitted of it.
Those in the Mediterranean stations, and other Mediterranean. Colonies, are chiefly non-commissioned officers hold-
ing appointments in addition to pension. They include those in every Colony not otherwise referred
to in the above list, and only amount to a very few in each.
In all these Colonies the payments are made by officers of the Commissariat Department acting under the Treasury; but Staff Officers of Pen- sioners have been appointed to that duty in the other
New Zealand.
Van Diemen's Land
Western Australia.
Moreton Bay.
Canada.
Hudson's Bay Territory. Falkland Islands.
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Colonies noted on margin, where the Pensioners are organized as a military force.
The following explanation will show the circum- stances under which this course has been adopted, and the success which has attended it :
The distress in Ireland one of the
causes that enabled the Govern-
ment to procure the services of
Pensioners for New Zealand.
The
New Zealand.
arrangement for sending Pensioners to New Zealand originated in 1847, at a time when there was much distress among that class, particularly in Ireland, owing to the failure of the potato crop.
At the same time a military population was much wanted, particularly near Auckland, where the inha- The object of sending out the bitants were in constant apprehension of attacks
Pensioners.
from the natives; it was also necessary to reduce the heavy expense of the military establishments consequent on the late war in that Colony, and to do this without affecting the security of the settlers.
Six companies of Pensioners were accordingly sent out in 1847 and 1848, and two more com-
Numbers sent out in 1847, 1848, panies in 1849, to which another was added, making
a total of
and 1849-715 men.
How located.
Conditions of service.
on arrival of the Pensioners.
Men.. Women
Children
Total
715
625
1,228
2,568
These men are under the command of officers, and located in villages round Auckland, each Pen- sioner having a cottage, and an allotment of land consisting of an acre or two, provided for them; in return for which he musters under arms, without pay, once a-week, and is liable to serve when called out in defence of the Colony.
This arrangement has admitted of a reduction being effected in the Military Establishment of the Reduction in Military consequent Colony, to the extent of 800 men, while it has afforded ample protection to the capital. When danger threatens, the men are assembled with nearly the same facility as regular troops; at other times they pursue their usual avocations.
Success of the measure.
They have, with scarcely a single exception, succeeded well. All their allotments have long ago been under cultivation, and extensive purchases C