AUSTRALIAN CABLE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4930, 1 September 1890, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN CABLE.

(Pica Ki.eotrio TaLBQUAPn— Cor i um ht.) {Pna [Press Asbooution.) (Received 12.10 p.m., August 30th.) THE CABLE QUESTION. Sydney, August 30. A private letter received by a resident of Sydney from Mr Rawaon,of the Pacific Cable Company, states that he has been much concerned to find that Sir J. Pender, on behalf of the Eastern Extension Cable Company, had entered into an arrangement with certain Australian colonies by which the company were to reduce the rates of cable messages to 43 per word, provided that thoae colonieß bore half the loss, if any. He mentions that Quoenslaud has stood out, and with regard to New Zealand it was somewhat doubtful if they had nccopted the arrangement, but he thinks they have assisted. This, he asserts, practically means that Victoria, Now South Wales, and New Zealand jointly may have to bear an annual charge of £4000, which is just about tho amount of interest on the capital required to construct a cable from Queensland via Fanning Islands, Fiji, and Hawaii to Vancouver. This latter expenditure, instead of falling on two or three colonies, would be willingly ahared by Canada, Queensland, and Tasmania as well as the other colonies, and probably by the Imperial Government, inasmuch as the latter's refusal to contribute to the scheme propounded by Sir J. Pendor was based on the fact that they would not subaidiee cables unless for political and strategical reasons.. ißoooivod 6 p.m.. Aunrust 318t.) Melbourne, August 31. A large derelict, keel upwards, has been sighted between Launceston and Port Phillip.