INTERCOLONIAL CONFERENCE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 208, 21 February 1873, Page 6

INTERCOLONIAL CONFERENCE.

| With respect to the Intercolonial : Conference, the ' Argus' publishes the 1 following Sydaey telegram, dated'3lst ; January, and forwarded by the Aus- : tralian Associated Press : —" The Con--1 ference only held a short sitting to-day, and the postal question has not been decided. Mr. Vogel is prepared to carry the Australian mail free on the Pacific route, and to make Sydney the terminus of Webb's line if assisted in securing English and American subsidies for Webb. The majority of the delegates, however, consider the proposed line of new steamers preferable to subsidising Webb's boats. In the same issue the ' Argus ' publishes the following telegram from its special correspondent at Sydney: postal question is still undecided, but some hopes are now entertained that an agreement will be arrived at. There are, however, a number of diverse interests to be considered. Victoria insists on the terminus of the Suez route being at Melbourne ; but New South Wales is not willing'to grant the concession. New Zeafand wants the other colonies to join in subsidising Webb's Colifornian line, while New South Wales desires to establish the new service viaSanFrancisco, for which tenders have been received. There is not much difference between the tender from Hall and the A.S.N. Company. The general feeling, however, is in favor of Hall's line. .Then Queensland wants letters for that Colony brought via Suez left at Singapore, and the Home Government to pay a portion of the cost of transmission to Queensland. New South Wales is not altogether unwilliug to help Queensland, and have its letters brought by the same route, if Queensland will help New South Wales in its service via San Francisco. A despatch which has been received here from the Home Government practically refuses to assist New South Wales in the San Francisco route unless the other Colonies join, so that no tender will be accepted until the closing of the Conference. Thus the matter stands."