THE BROKEN CABLES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8880, 17 May 1892, Page 5

THE BROKEN CABLES.

TE LEG R A PHIC ARRANGEM li NTS. (BY TELEGRAPH. —I'll ESS ASSOCIATION, ] Wellington, Monday. With both Cook Strait cables broken, all messages will have to be sent on the cable between Wanganui and Wakapuaka, and in consequence they will be considerably delayed, as work on that c.ible will bo extremely heavy, so much so that in all probability the staffs at Wakapuaka and Wanganui trill be on duty the greater part of the '24 hours. The break in tho cables was clearly the result of the gale. One of the linos, which was broken close to the shore in I.yell's Bay, had been lying intact in that vicinity for the la.--t'26 years. During the break all delayed telegrams and ordi nary Government telegrams will be refused. The cable-repairing steamer is somewhere in the vicinpy of Singapore, but the Telegraph Department have not yet been able to communicate with her. She cannot reach here before the beginning of July, and it will probably be three months before full communication between the two islands is restored, in which event considerable inconvenience will be occh ioned during the sitting of Parliament, which opens on June '23. No press work now will be sent after two o'clock (however much there may be on hand) until ton p.m., and the Department state that all messages after that hour will be late in arrival at their destination. Five operators from the Wellington office left for Wanganui this morning, and five are to be sent from Blenheim to Wakapuaka.

The Telegraph Department notify us that at present delayed telegrams between the North and South Islands cannot be accepted. Press work will have precedence between the hours of 8 and 9 HO a.m., and 11.30 a.m. and 'J p.m. during the day, and after 10 o'clock at night. No Press message will be sent between '2 p.m. and 10 p.m. By applying the duplex system work on the cable would be greatly expedited, and probably this will be done if the necessary appliances are available. Wo are not aware whether the Telegraph Department (.assess any Wheatstone instruments, but if they do, and were to bring them into use in the present emergency, all inconvenience and delay would be obviated.