THE POSTAL CONFERENCE. SECOND EDITION.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 57, 8 March 1894, Page 2

THE POSTAL CONFERENCE. SECOND EDITION.

PACIFIC CABLE QUrSTION. The debato on tho President's (the Hon. •Mr. Ward's) motion respecting the Pftciflo cable was resumed this morning. Tho Hon. Mr. Kidd said that Now South Wales had, after going into the matter of Mr. band ford Fleming's proposals with Mr. Walker, the head of their department, considered them impracticable. The conclusions come to were that such* a scheme off proposed by Mr. Ward should be substituted. Tho English naval authorities had suggested a scheme similar to that of Mr. Fleming, and which required a cable of double the ordinary strength at a cost of £2,374,000. New South Wales had thought that the existing cable between Bundaberg (Queensland) and Golden Bay (New Caledonia) might be utilised, and that Fiji might bo conneoted by a cable from Northern New Zealand. Thero was, however, so much feeling against any nee being made of the Froncli Company's oable that New South Wales would abandon this portion of the proposal and support that of the President. Far similar reasons to those urged against the proposition of Mr. Fleming, New south Wales opposed the Hon. Audley Cooto's proposals. Tho Hon. Mr. Wynne supported the motion on behalf of Victoria. Tho motion (published in yesterday's Evjinjno Post) was then oarried, the representatives of South and Western Australia abstaining from voting. FEDEBAL MAIL SKEVICE. The following recommendations from the Permanent Heads as to the now Federal Mail Services were adopted, alter debate, for transmission to the Imperial authorities :— That the London Postal authorities call for tenders, on conditions to bo approved by the colonies, from bona fide British companies, for a weekly service, and that befure any tender is accepted all tenders shall be submitted to the colonies, the principal condition to be that the tenders be alternative for five or seven years ; greater regularity to be insisted on ; time between Brind isi and Naples or Adelaide to be reduced to 30 days or loss ; Brindisi or Naples to be the European terminus, and Adelaide the Australian terminus ; outward vessels to go on to Melbourne or Sydney if required, and Homeward -steamers to start from Sydney, ojll at Melbourne, Adelaide, and Fremantle, or Albany both ways ; that contracts shall include parcels as mail matter; that the steamers call at Colombo both ways ; that the steamers should be required to afford conveniences for the carriage of frozen meats, butter, fruits, and other produota of Australasia, at stipulated maximum rates of freight for the same, and that tenderers shall state what cold storage space they will be prepared to supply, having due regard to the requirements of eaoh colony ; the subsidy to be divided between tho colonies and Great Britain on the basis of mail matter sent, the division amongst individual colonies to be on the basis of population ; the day of departure from Adelaide to be Friday if posjible, or if not Thursday. The Hon. Mr. Kidd strongly opposed the provision as to the carriage of frozen produce as a result of what he had seen in NewZealand. The inclusion of the provision would increase the amount of the subsidy required. The Hon. Mr. Wynne supported the clause for Victoria, and the Hon. Dr. Cookburn for i-outh Australia, tho Hodb. Parker and Wilson for Western Australia and Queensland also supporting it, provided it meant no increase in the present subsidy. Tho Hon. Mr. Wynn thought it important in view of the carriage of butter and such articles requiring quick despatch, while the frozen meat traffic would adjust itself; and the Hon. Dr. Cockbnrn urged, that as a recommendation from all the colonies, it might hasten a reduction in freights. The clause was finally carried, the Hon. Mr. Kidd voting against it. The Hon. Mr. Kidd wished to have alter, native tenders, with and without the provision as to frozen produce carriage, but his motion was lost by 4 to 3. Queensland, New Sonth Wales, and New Zealand alone voting for it. The total subsidy payable for the Federal Service last year was .£170,000, of which .£95,000 was paid by the Imperial Government, and .£75,000 by Australia and Fiji, divided on the basis of population. COLOURII> LABOUB. The Hon. Dr. Cockbnrn morel and Hon. Mr. Wilscn seconded the following addition to the Federal mail contract conditions : — " That tenderers be required to state what class of labour they intend to employ on their vessels, and that a recommendation be mode to the Imperial authorities that mail steamers should be manned by white crew*." The President concurred with Dr. Cockbnrn in indicating that tho colonies considered these vessels should be manned with white crows, in view of the fact that they were now being built with a view topossiblo adoption as cruisers. The Hon. Mr. Wilson said that Queensland had four years ago a provision in their contract with the British India Company that white crews should be employed. The Hon. Mr. Wynn supported the motion, and the Hon. Mr. Parker said it amounted to an intimation to the English authorities that the colonies would be prepared to pay a slightly increased subsidy tor white crews, while if the subsidy had to

bo too greatly incroased, the objection would be waived. The addition waa agreed to. ADJOURNMENT TO AUCKLAND. Tho Presidont moved the adjournment of the Council to Saturday week at Auckland, to consider the report of the heads of departments, which was not yet finished. This wus agreed to, ana tho Ministerial Conference adjourr.od, tho permanent heads continuing their deliberations. The delegates visited the Gothic as she lay in tho stream shortly after noon, and iUt-*r lunchoon at Bollamy's wore photographed at Messrs. Wrigglesworth and limns, whence they proceeded to Sir Patriok Buckley a reaidenco at the Lowor Hutt. They leavo for Wanganui by epeoial train at v a.m. to-morrow. INTERCOLONIAL FRICTION. I UNITED PBIBS ASSOCIATION.] (Received March 8, noon.) Sydnkt, This Dji t. Sir Goorge Dibbs has wired to the Promior, Mr. Pateraon, objecting to the position taken up by the Victorian delegate at the Postal Conference in refereuco to butter freights and tho mail contracts. Sir George considers that tho question of freights should not be allowed to interfere with tho mail contraots, and ho requests that Mr. Wynne be instructed to rotiro from the position he hiia takon up. Mr. Patorson has roplied, stating that ho considers the question of freights more important than that of mail contraots, and he declines to interfere with tho delegate.