17

F.—3

The Conference resumed consideration of the motion and amendment referred to. After discussion, the amendment proposed by the Hon. R. S. Anderson was put and negatived without division. The motion to insert the word " competing " after the word " on " in the first line of Mr. Stuart's resolution was then put and carried. The original motion, as amended, was then put and carried upon the following division:— Ayes. No. New South Wales, Tasmania. Queensland. South Australia. New Zealand, Victoria, and Western Australia did not vote. The resolution, as amended and passed, will read as follows: — " That the loss (if any) on competing colonial lines to connect the cables with the main telegraphic system should in like manner be borne by all the colonies concerned." The Hon. Alex. Stuart, with permission of the Conference, withdrew motion No. 4. The Hon. Samuel Walker Griffith, with permission of the Conference, withdrew the several notices of motion given by him on the 27th instant. The Conference proceeded to the further discussion of the resolutions proposed by the Hon. G. McLean, and it having been decided to put them separately, — No. 1 was proposed as amended, and agreed to. No. 2 was proposed and agreed to. No. 3 was proposed as amended, and agreed to (Western Australia refrained from voting). The Hon. J. F. Burns proposed the following resolution, which the Conference unanimously adopted:— " That the several colonies agree to allow the necessary official telegrams of Her Majesty's ships to pass over their respective lines free of charge." The Hon. R. Ramsay gave notice of the following resolution: — " That, having in view the serious annoyance and loss occasioned by the mutilation of messages in transmission through Java, the President of this Conference be requested, on behalf of the Australasian Colonies represented, to communicate with the Secretary of State, for the purpose of obtaining permission from the Government of Netherlands-India to employ English operators on the land lines in Java." The Hon. Alex. Stuart gave notice of the following resolution : — " That the Governments of South Australia and New South Wales be empowered to make arrangements with the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company for a reduction of message tariff to 6s. per word at a subsidy not exceeding £20,000 per annum, terminable at one year's notice; and that such subsidy be borne by the respective colonies in proportion to population; any colony being at liberty to withdraw on like notice." The Hon. Ebenezer Ward gave notice of the following resolution: — " That the Conference will proceed to the consideration of the mail services between the colonies and Great Britain, with the view of securing, if possible, united action in future arrangements." The Hon. J. P. Burns laid before the Conference a letter from Eldred and Co., on behalf of the Netherlands-India S. N. Co., offering to run a steamer between Banjoewangie and Port Darwin, in the event of a break in the cable, which was ordered to be printed. (The Conference adjourned at a quarter past 1 until 2 o'clock.) On resuming, the Hon. R. Ramsay proposed the following resolution : — " That having in view the sei ious annoyance and loss occasioned by the mutilation of messages in transmission through Java, the President of this Conference be requested, on behalf of the Australasian Colonies represented, to communicate with the Secretary of State, for the purpose of obtaining permission from the Government of Netherlands-India to employ English operators on the land lines in Java." The Conference unanimously agreed to the same. The Hon. Alexander Stuart proposed the following resolution:— " That the Governments of South Austrlia and New South Wales be empowered to make arrangements with the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company for a reduction of message tariff to 6s. per word, at a subsidy not exceeding £20,000 per annum, terminable at one year's notice, and that such subsidy be borne by the respective colonies in proportion to population—any colony to be at liberty to withdraw on like notice." After discussion, the Conference agreed to the resolution. The Colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria voted for. The Colonies of New Zealand, Tasmania, and Western Australia refrained from voting. The Hon. Ebenezer Ward proposed the following resolution: — " That tho Conference will proceed to the consideration of the mail services between the colonies and Great Britain, with the view of securing, if possible, united action in future arrangements." After discussion, the Hon. Charles Stuart Mem proposed that tho further consideration of the resolution be postponed until Friday next, which the Conference agreed to. The Chairman laid before the Conference a communication from M. Edward Nutt, Director of the Interior, Noumea, New Caledonia, on the subject of a mail service via Noumea to San Francisco, which, after being read, was ordered to be printed. The Hon. Sir Henry Ayers then proposed that the Secretary be instructed to prepare a draft report for the consideration of the Conference, which was agreed to. The Conference adjourned at a quarter to 4 o'clock until Friday next, at half-past 10. John Robertson, Chairman. 3—E. 3.

The Conference,