ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES, (FURTHER PAPERS ON).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1873 Session I, F-02b

E.—2b

1873. NEW ZEALAND.

ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES, (FURTHER PAPERS ON).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency. No. 1. Mr. P. Gtsborne to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir,— 7, Bruton Street, "W., London, 13th June, 1873. Since Sir James Carmiehael wrote to your Agent-General on the 11th of November, 1872, on the subject of a telegraph from Sydney to Cape Farewell (New Zealand), our engineer, Sir J. Canning, has increased his estimate for the cable and laying by 20 per cent., and in Sir James's absence I write to say that the capital required for that line will now be £470,000, including a repairing ship. This increase has been occasioned by the late rise in the price of coal, iron, and labour. The capital will of course be correspondingly reduced should a reduction occur in the price of materials, &c. The line from Cape Howe (New South Wales) to Cascade Point (New Zealand) will cost £410,000. I may state that the promoters will accept a guarantee of 5 per cent, upon the required capital for thirty-five years, on the conditions accompanying the above letter. I would suggest that New Zealand should guarantee its own line at once, and not leave its success to depend upon the realization of the proposed duplicate line between India and Queensland, as the terms at present offered for its execution are altogether inadequate. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. F. Gisborne.

No. 2. Copy of Telegram from the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Brisbane, to the Hon. J. Vooel, Wellington. New South Wales Government long since sent in their official agreement to the Telegraph Convention, and promise to bring it before Parliament next Session. We think the cable should be landed in New Zealand, at such place as the Government of New Zealand may decide ; the precise spot is not a matter on which we should feel competent to give an opinion. With respect to Coote's proposal, our Superintendent of Telegraphs reports against it, because it would increase the distance, —the south end of Celebes, near Macassar, is more suitable for landing cable, and repeating station; and that it would be better to avoid any possible junction with Java line. By Authority: Gboegb Dldsbvbt, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB73. Price 3d.]