THE COLONIAL CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 40, 28 October 1871, Page 15

THE COLONIAL CONFERENCE.

After the terms of agreement in reference to the permanent mail services by way of Suez and San Francisco had been settled, the consideration of the proposed services by way of the Cape of Good Hope and Batavia was entered upon by the Colonial Conference. With reference to the service by way of the Cape of Good Hope, the delegates from New South Wales, Queensland, and Tasmania, stated that they felt themselves unable, on behalf of their colonies, to join Victoria in subsidising that route; and the delegates from South Australia stated that, having already agreed to subsidise the lines by way of Suez and San Francisco, they were unable to join in supporting the Cape route as otherwise they would have been desirous of doing. With reference to the service by the way of Batavia, after discussion it was found that no agreement could be arrived at for Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania uniting with Queensland in supporting such a service.

The consideration of a temporary service by way of San Francisco was then proceeded with, and it was proposed by delegates from Victoria that negotiations should be entered upon with the companies at present carrying mails from New Zealand to San Francisco, and from Sydney to San Francisco, with a view to obtain the best temporary service practicable upon terms which would make the united cost of the present Suez route and any temporary route by San Francisco fall upon the contributing colonies in the ratio of population, The delegates

from New South Wales refused to negotiate for any service on the basis of the New Zealand contract, and as complete agreement was the necessary preliminary of joint action, the proposal was necessarily abandoned. It was then proposed by the delegates from New South Wales than an arrangement should be made with Mr Hall for a service by which the mails should be carried between San Francisco and Melbourne, calling at Moreton Island and Sydney both ways, the mails being delivered both ways, in London and Melbourne, within 48 days; and that New South Wales should contribute towards such service at the rate of £15,000 a year, until some permanent arrangement for a San JBrancisco service should be made. It was ascertained that the Postmaster-General in London had announced his intention of charging 2d on each newspaper, and 3d on each letter of half an ounce by this line, in addition to the postage charged in Australia, on the ground that such letters had been forwarded by a “ private merchant vessel,” and that the NewSouth Wales Government had protested against this course, but with what result is still unknown. After discussion it was found that no agreement could be come to for this temporary service. The subject of telegraphic communication with Europe was considered. It was suggested that as soon as the overland line was completed, and its actual cost ascertained, the Governments represented at the conference might negotiate for the purchase of the line, with a view to their taking measures in common to reduce the proposed charge on telegrams to and from Europe at least fifty per cent. The delegates considered that they had no authority to determine this question, and it was therefore postponed. Lord Kimberley’s circular despatch of the 13th of July having been brought under consideration, the delegates from New South Wales proposed a memorandum on the subject, which was accepted by the delegates from South Australia and Tasmania, and objected to by the delegates of Victoria, and which the Queensland delegates did not consider themselves authorised to adopt. The delegates of Victoria then proposed certain resolutions insisting on the right of the colonies to make intercolonial tariffs without limitation, which were unanimously adopted, subject to the consent of the Queensland Government being obtained. The Queensland delegates, however, having been instructed to confine their labors to the postal question, the resolutions proposed by the Victorian delegates were adopted by the other colonies.

The delegates from South Australia having brought under consideration the necessity for legislation in the different colonies for the purpose of facilitating the enforcement of claims against absconding debtors, it was agreed that the Government of each colony should take the subject into consideration at an early period.