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1877. NEW ZEALAND.

TELEGRAPH CABLES: NEGOTIATIONS AND CONFERENCE (PAPERS RELATING TO).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

I.—NEGOTIATIONS. a, No. 1. Mr. George Thorn to the Hon. the Colonial Secretaey, Wellington. Sir, — Postmaster General's Department, Brisbane, 16th June, 1876. In order to provide for a second electric telegraph cable, and to secure as far as possible uninterrupted communication with the rest of the world. I have the honor to inform you, with reference to previous correspondence, that this Government is prepared to contribute towards a subsidy for an electric telegraph cable from Kimberley, Norman Mouth, to Singapore, touching at such points as may be hereafter agreed upon. Contributions to be based on the relative proportion of the population of the contributing colonies. The land line to Kimberley, which was originally constructed for the purpose of connecting with a submarine cable, has been in thorough working order for some years, and has been maintained without interruption through heavy floods. This can be made immediately available, and would afford a reliable duplicate land line to connect with the proposed cable. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. George Thorn.

Negotiation.,

No. 2. Mr. John S. MacPheeson to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Sir,— Chief Secretary's Office, Melbourne, 15th August, 1876. With reference to my telegram of the sth instant, I have the honor to inform you that this Government concurs in the suggestion that the question of laying another telegraph cable should be referred to a Conference of delegates from all the colonies interested, which should have power to consider the various propositions that have been brought forward on the subject. It is also considered desirable, before the question is finally settled, that some measures should be taken for ascertaining the disposition of the Government of the United States in regard to its making a contribution towards the expense of a cable via the Sandwich Islands to San Francisco. A letter has been written to the Colonial Secretary of New South Wales to this effect. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. John S. MacPherson.

No. 3. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Sydney, to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New Zealand. Sydney, 13th September, 1876. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Me. Ceacknell, our Superintendent of Telegraphs, advises by telegram from London as follows:— " Before deciding duplicate cable, see my letter August 23rd, via Frisco. Am satisfied that cheapest and only duplication necessary at present is from Singapore to Banjoewangie, which will require only small subsidy. Darwin cable not likely to give much trouble for some time, and will in future be immediately repaired. AVhen Western Australian land lines finished, could carry cable from Banjoewangie to North-West Cape. Submarine cable to Ceylon or Mauritius considered impracticable. Nothing doing for cable for Mauritius to Aden. Duplicate lines are being shipped for Suez to Bombay, also for Rangoon and Penang. Normantown proposal too expensive in comparison to Queens--I—E. 3.