F.—3

14

" 5. That any subsidy which may bo required for the construction or maintenance of the ocean cable lines should bo paid aud borne by the several Australian Colonies, in amounts proportionate to their populations." " 6. That the loss (if any) which may be sustained from time to time by the Government of South Australia in maintaining and working the line of telegraph between Port Augusta and Port Darwin, and by the Government of Queensland in maintaining and working the line of telegraph between Cardwell and Kimberley, and between Cardwell and the point of departure of the ocean cable, should be paid and borne by the several Australian Colonies in amounts proportionate to their populations." "7. That, in the event of the Colony of New Zealand uniting with the Colonies of Australia in tho agreement embodied in the foregoing resolutions, the subsidy payable in respect of the cable connecting New Zealand and New South Wales shall be paid and borne by the several Australian Colonies, in amounts proportionate to their populations." The Council then adjourned until Saturday, the 27th instant, at half-past 10 o'clock. John Robeetson, Chairman.

The Conference

Saturday, 27th January, 1877. The Conference having met at half-past 10 o'clock a.m., the minutes of the proceedings on the 25th instant were read and confirmed. Sir Henry Ayers then proposed, and the Hon. Ebenezer Ward seconded, the following motion, which the Conference unanimously adopted, namely, — " That the order of debate be the same as is observed in consideration of questions in a Committee of the whole House of Parliament, but that the Chairman have tho same right as any other member of the Conference to take part in the discussion of all questions." The Hon. Charles Stuart Mem proposed, and the Hon. James Whyte seconded, the following motion, which the Conference agreed to, namely, —■ " That in referring to the several colonies represented in any proceedings of the Conference, the names be placed iv alphabetical order." The Hon. John Robertson (Chairman) laid before the Conference the under-mentioned papers, which were read by the Clerk, and ordered by the Conference to be printed, namely,— 1. Precis prepared by the Chairman of correspondence on the subject of a duplicate telegraph cable to connect the Australasian Colonies with the rest of the world. 2. A communication from the Commodore to His Excellency the Governor of New South Wales on the subject of— (1.) Rewards for the arrest of deserters from the Navy. (2.) Free telegraphic messages on naval service. 3. A report from the Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company, dated 11th October, 1876. 4. A letter from J. E. Stewart, Secretary to the Victorian Humane Society, on the subject of life-saving apparatus at sea. 5. A letter from Captain Audley Coote, dated the 23rd January, and a supplementary letter, dated the 25th January, on the subject of a duplicate cable. 6. A letter "from Messrs. Knevett and Taylor, on behalf of the Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company, notifying that they are prepared to afford the Conference any information required. The Hon. Alex. Stuart then proposed the motions of which notice was given on the 25th instant, and having moved the adoption of No. 1, viz., — " (1.) That it is desirable to extend and improve the means of telegraphic communication between Australia and Europe,by the duplication where necessary of the cables or lines connecting the same," — The Hon. Samuel Walker Griffith proposed that all the words after the word " is " in the first line be omitted, with a view to the insertion of the following words : — " (1.) [That it is] in the opinion of this Conference essential that a complete duplicate system of telegraphic communication shall be forthwith established between Great Britain and the Australian Colonies." And the same having been fully discussed, the Chairman put the question, " That the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question." Ayes. No. New South Wales. Queensland. New Zealand. South Australia. Tasmania. Victoria. The question was then put, " That the motion proposed by Mr. Stuart be adopted," which was unanimously agreed to. Sir Henry Ayers laid before the Conference two returns on the subject of— (1.) Port Darwin telegraph line interruptions, (2.) Cable interruptions, —which were ordered to be printed; also a chart showing the telegraph line from Adelaide to Port Darwin, which was ordered to be lithographed and appended to the proceedings. The Conference, on the motion of the Hon. Samuel Walker Griffith, seconded by the Hon. Charles Stuart Mem, directed — " That the minutes of the proceedings of the Conference be printed confidentially, for the use of the members only, and that each day's proceedings be printed after being confirmed by the Conference."