AUSTRALIA. THE TORRES STRAITS ROUTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 931, 2 October 1869, Page 11

AUSTRALIA. THE TORRES STRAITS ROUTE.

The Government having thought it desirable that measures should be taken, if possible, to establish a steam postal route -with Europe via Torres Straits and Batavia, by whatever route the Datoh ' Government should: hereafter adopt from Batavia, so as to carry out a line of fortnightly communication in alternation with the present arrangement between the Southern Colonies and the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, tho Colonial Secretary, on his recent visit to Brisbane, I brought, amongst other important subjects that prompted his journey to that colonyj the matter before the Queensland Government. After several conferences, it was arranged that Mr Robertson should, on his return to ' Sydney, take steps to give effect to the proposal, and accordingly on the 31st ultimo! Mr Robertson transmitted' to tho 'Queensland "Government a communication enclosing ft series of resolutions on the subject, with a suggestion that they should be , subtbitted for Parliamentary sanotion by the| Government of Queensland, and in the- event of that being secured promising on the" part of the Government of New South Wales | that similar resolutions should be oubmitted to the Parliament of this colony. The resolutions wbiob, on the suggestion of M* Robertson, are comparatively open in their tyrms, in order that tho arrangements to be aaoptod thoreunder may be oap&ble of modification, "to nieot future contingencies, aw as follow :— ■ ' ' ' /'TbktthitHouseisof opinion that it ii doshrablo that the Qovornment of this oolony should ion hwith enter into negotiation* to obtain the ostablishmont of a monthly lino oft-mail communication with England, via Bfctavia, by tho Torres Straits route, on tho following terms :— ' ' ■ ■ Ml. That the datcfl of arrival and do.partarq bo to arranged— having regard to those of the Sues line— as that tho twb lines practically ensure fortnightly loommunioa•tion.. i ! % ' „ > t! 2. iThatmaUt bo dollvorod atßowen and Gladstone and at the pilot station at Capo I Moretoh ; tho two formor places, however, on]y when boats are ready to roooivo tbo mtus^withoat canting delay. • •• 3* :That,tho Australian terminal of tho Une.bQ'at Sydney. '• •« 4> JThtt tho oott of tho tervioo bo paid by,"Noir South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand, in tho proportion of thres-tlxthg by ,#i!r,SonUi Walot, two-sixths by Queensland, and codo-sixth i.y Now Zealand j -and that thtjwhblo oott to Queensland do not exoeod l^>,OpO'^or annum. " f|6V (that tho oxpenso of tho ooaUng-tta* 'tidn at Ctpe York bo aohargo on tbMorvioo. IL U 6. lout Now Booth Wales. QuwusUtid, and New Zealand bo released from any pay* ment, in tho way of subsidy or othorwtse, 'in oonnootion with tho Sum lino; and'that an amioablo arrangement " bo made between .New South Walot, Queensland, and New Zealand on the ono parti and Victoria* Sooth

' Australia, and TaamajuVonsthe other, rto the . effect that' New ;^South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand bear the "expense off the Northern line, and Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania that of the Suez line 1 ,; and that they' mutually aid in working tho two ' lines as a fortnightly service for Australia V 7. 'That New Zealand have the option of taking and delivering its mails either,/ at Sydney or at Cape Morefcon, as may prove most convenient".''' ' (1 , , , J a", '.>-■(» A telegram was received on Saturday ' from the Colonial Secretary of Queensland, acknowledging the receipt of Mr Robertson's iletter and the resolutions submitted by, tUatn> gentleman, and stating that the proposal.' baa received. the. approval. of that Govern*"*' ment, bntadding -ttbat <the - Queensland JAjc or Bembly will probably not meet again :*: * this seßsion.lv 'The resolutions, however, will J. be submitteovto the Legislative Counoil to-day v (Tuesday), the 7th instant, and •will most cer>> . taihly beaddpted.. The Government of Queens-" land will then be prepared to take immediate ■. action,' and' to aot ingood faith with the' New South Wales Government. , Mr iHobert- .> son has sincce telegraphed to Mr Hodgson to* ' the effeot that, he thinks.. it would prevent j. much cavilling, and difficulty here if the Go* v yerament of. Queensland will 'get the assent ; 'of the Assembly. as well as the Council.,. >\ i • Looking at the large and important inte- ■ reßts involved in this question, there seemß a certainty that tho matter, when referred to > the Government of New Zealand,, will re* . ceiVe the unanimous and/ cordial aisent of that Government, and the fortnightly mail will be established, .i ,'j >-> •■ f j In taking the initiative in this proposal, the Government of Mr Robertson has been guided by the consideration that the line of v communication* by way of Torreßi Straits, ' will be of infinitely greater value to the.; Northern colonies than the existing communication under the arrangement between the Southera ' colonies and the Peninsular and" Oriental Steam- Navigation Company ; 'while ,to New South Wales, which has all the maritime -trade from 'the 1 Gulf of Carpentaria >by ' Rookingham Bay, - Townsville, ' Bowen, Port Mackay, and Rockhampton, the postal facilities the plan' would afford ' would be of special advantage. In view of the • - patent fact, that scarcely a bale of -wool from . the more northerly ports is transmitted direot ■ to /Brisbane, but that the chief portion' is ' forwarded to Sydney, and that the trade be- - tween ' Sydney 'and Rockingham is much ' greater than that which' 'exists- along thecoasts of Queensland, the Government > elieve they are justified in consulting the large interests involved, and 'that the reooin- 1 mendations they have made -will tend to place" New South Wales in ' her proper fiosition as the central oolony of the gi'oup." n reference to the proposition that the expense of the coaling station at Cape York be a charge on the service, the Government of New South Wales is under the impression that as a harbour of refuge has 'ooen established there,' in which the colonies generally are beneficially interested, the expense might fairly bo made a joint contribution, more especially as the Now South Wales line would bo about 450 miles loneer — viz., from Brisbane to Sydney — than the Queens* land route. It will be perceived that it is inteuded that New Zealand will have the option of taking . and delivering its mails either at Sydney or Cape Morcton, as may | prove most convenient ; but, looking at the position of Sydney, ana the advantages offered by this port, it see'me probable that the New Zealand Government will j. refer de* ■ livery there. ."

' TBtBORATH TO EUROPE. As one of the results of recent conferences en matters of oolonial interest during Mr Robertson's Visit to Brisbane, it may be mentioned that tho Queensland Government have agreed to carry out their line of telegraph through their own territory, at their own cost, to tho Gulf of Carpentaria, if tho Government of New South Wales will undertake to submit a proposition to Parlia*' mont to aid them in the matter of tho subm trine lino. > OVERLAND COMMUSrOATION WITH QUKKNS* ■ ' '" . n LAND. •• ' ' The Governments of Queensland and New South Wales have' for some time been convinced, in> tho interests of the inhabitants of tho border towns of the rospootivo colonies, of the importance of postal intercourse by nuilooach from ono colony to tbo other. Prom New South Wales, the inhabitants of InveroU, Glon lanes, 1 and Tosterfield wera supplying largo quantities- of wheat. and • flour to, the squatters, &0., alongside tha Queensland border ; and it was to their interott to, ensure' the benofiti >of •' passenger m WollMpottal communication; and,ontheother hand, the purchasers had made frequent representations to tho authorities at Brisbane to tho tame offset Mr Robertson wm there* f oro empowered by hit ooUeaguot to negotiate tho affair with the Queensland Cabinet, and the result may- now bo stated. . The Govern*. • ment of this oolony hat entered into an arnogemont to carry, the. malls by ootoh towarda that portion of the titter oolony from Amidale to Tenterfield. - The Queens* land Gfovernnvrat on their part will then provide tho expanse of a eoaoh at the expense of tint oolony, to ran from Tcntorfield to, Warwick (a diitanoe of about 60 miles through tho Colony of New South Waloa). Malls and lottort will be detpatohod- front Warwiok by the Queensland railway, Ac

Joffemon Dtvtt's plantation it now bated to ono of hit former slevtt, who payt 10,000 doU«m a ytar vent, and employs UK) handt to work it. ■ No white man about the pro. mitos. , i ' ■• ■