F.—3a

1878. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE RESPECTING THE DUPLICATION OF THE TELEGRAPH LINES BETWEEN AUSTRALASIA AND EUROPE, HELD IN MELBOURNE IN MAY 1878; TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS, NOTICES OF MOTION, MINUTES OF EVIDENCE, AND APPENDICES.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency. REPORT. The Conference assembled in Melbourne, and held tlieir first meeting on the 9th day of May 1878. The colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria were represented as follows, viz. :— New South Wales ... The Honorable J. F. Burns, Postmaster General. Queensland ... The Honorable Charles Stuart Mem, PostmasterGeneral. South Australia ... The Honorable James P. Boucaut, Prime Minister and Treasurer; Chables Todd, Esq., C.M.G., Postmaster-General. Tasmania ... The Honorable Sir James Milne Wilson, President of the Legislative Council, and Member of the Executive Council. Victoria ... ... The Honorable Gbaham Beery, Prime Minister, and Chief Secretary and Treasurer ; The Honorable Henry Cutiibert, Postmaster-General. The colony of New Zealand was not represented at the Conference; but a letter was received from the Colonial Secretary, wliich contained the views of the Government of that colony as to the duplication of the cable between Australia and Singapore. The colony of Western Australia was also not represented. At the first meeting of the Conference the Honorable Graham Berry was unanimously elected President, and Mr. Webb Ware was appointed Secretary. The Conference unanimously agreed to the following resolution : —■ " That in the opinion of this Conference provision should be made as early as " practicable for ensuring greater certainty of telegraphic communication " between Great Britain and the Australian Colonies and New Zealand." I—F. 3a.