TOPICS OF THE TIME.

Hastings Standard, Issue 32, 3 June 1896, Page 2

TOPICS OF THE TIME.

Writing of the Postal and Telegraph Conference which must bo held shortly the Melbourne Age says : —lt would be interesting to hear what arrangements have been made in connection with the holding of the annual Postal and Telegraphic Conference. The question as to the conditions under which the colonies will contribute towards the expenses of the new 7 federal mail contract to be entered into in 1898 have yet to be settled, and if the resolutions adopted at the Wellington conference in 1891, and endorsed by the conference held at Hobart last year, are to be enforced, no time should be lost in placing the views of the colonies once again strongly before the British postal authorities. At the close of the Hobart conference, Mr J, G. Duffy, the chairman, stated that Mr Buxton Forman, representing St. Martin's Le Grand, had informed its Victorian Government that there will be no attemgt in the new contracts to revert to the old looking-on _ system with the India and China service ; but the communication was so worded that the main resolutions adopted by the

colonies did not seem to accord with the views of the British postal authorities. The present contract, which is simply an extension of the former one, we had to accept. As Mr Duffy remarked at the conference when it was under discussion, " we are bound and shackled hand and foot." The experiences of the past show that this system of waiting until an old contract nearly expires prior to calling for a new one has not been- attended with satisfactory results. Every one admits that the great contracting companies have done the mail business well, but there has been a general feeling, and this found strong expression at the two last postal conferences, that the colonies were entitled to certain concessions. If the opinions then expressed are still held, the various Governments interested ought to lose no time in discussing and placing before the home authorities our wants and desires in connection with the new tenders. Delay will only place us in the same position as described by the chairman of the Hobart conference in February, 1895.

There is one matter in connection with the future of our mail service with India, and possibly Europe, which claims notice. This is the recent proposal to connect the mainland of India Avith Ceylon by carrying a- railAvay across Avhat is known as Adam'sbridge. The narrow straits betAveen the two is covered by a series of reefs and flats, which engineers pronounce can be utilised for the Avork. Tavo reports on the scheme been already submitted to the Indian and Ceylon Governments. Mr "Waring, C.E., states that the best route would be about 22 miles long. Ten miles would be required to be bridged over Avitli iron Avork, and 12 miles would be across sandbanks, on Avhich earth Avorks could be constructed. Mr Shadbolt favors the construction of a solid causeAvay for the whole routo of 21 miles separating Balk's Bay from the Gulf of Manar. Mr Warning's plan, it is estimated, would cost for a single 5 feet 5-inch gauge single line 2 crores 55 lacs of rupees, whilst Mr Shadbolt's proposal for a double line is estimated to cost 6 lacs of rupees less. According to our Indian files, the Adam's-bridge raihvay is proposed in connection with the Imperial defences in the East, as it would place Trincomalee, the chief naval station of the East India squadron in rapid raihvay communication with India. From a business standpoint such a connection betAveen India and Ceylon would, it is stated, be folloAved b y satisfactory results. One thing is certain, that if this scheme, Avhich is evidently practicable, is carried out, our Eastern mails Avill all be despatched from Celoyn, and the question arise Avhether mail matter sent ria Bombay by this route would not occupy less time to reach London than by a direct service.