F.—2

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say, five years more on the lines I have suggested. The details can be more fully discussed when the report of the permanent heads is before the Conference. Then, the question being put, it was resolved in the affirmative. Besolved, That the conditions be settled at this Conference upon which fresh tenders for the Federal mail-service are to be called. NEWSPAPEES IN BULK PARCELS. On motion of the Hon. Dr. Cockburn (South Australia), seconded by the Hon. Mr Kidd (New South Wales), Ordered, That the question of the number of newspapers required to be contained in bulk parcels be considered and reported upon by the committee of permanent heads of departments. ADJOURNMENT. Then, on motion of the Hon. the President, Besolved, That this Conference do now adjourn until 10 a.m. to-morrow Then the Conference adjourned.

Thursday, Bth March, 1894. The Conference met at 10 a.m. Present New South Wales The Hon. John Kidd, M.L.A., Postmaster-General. S. H. Lambton, Esq., Deputy Postmaster-General. P B. Walker, Esq., M.1.0.E., M.1.E.E., Secretary, Telegraph Service. Victoria The Hon. Agar Wynne, M.L.C., Postmaster-General. J Smibert, Esq., Deputy Postmaster-General. South Australia The Hon. John Alexander Cockburn M.D., Lond., Minister of Education and Agriculture. Sir Charles Todd, K.C.M.G., M.A., F.E.S., &c, Postmaster-General and Superintendent of Telegraphs. Queensland The Hon. Walter Horatio Wilson, M.L.C., Postmaster-General and Minister of Education. J McDonnell, Esq., Under-Secretary, Post and Telegraph Department, and Superintendent of Telegraphs. Western Australia The Hon. Stephen Henry Parker, Q.C., M.L.C., Colonial Secretary E. A. Sholl, Esq., Postmaster-General and General Superintendent of Telegraphs. Tasmania The Hon. Joseph George Ward, M.H.R., Colonial Treasurer, PostmasterGeneral, and Electric Telegraph Commissioner, Minister of Marine, Commissioner of Customs, and Minister of Industries and Commerce, New Zealand. New Zealand The Hon. Joseph George Ward, M.H.E., Colonial Treasurer, PostmasterGeneral, and Electric Telegraph Commissioner, Minister of Marine, Commissioner of Customs, and Minister of Industries and Commerce. W Gray, Esq., Secretary, Posts and Telegraphs. J K. Logan, Esq., Telegraph Engineer PAPERS. The Hon. Mr Ward (Tasmania) laid upon the table, — Beturn of the Tasmanian Telegraph Service, 1893.—Ordered to be printed. Vide Appendix J, p. 1.) The Hon. Mr Kidd (New South Wales) laid upon the table, — Papers relative to Mr Sandford Fleming's Pacific Cable Scheme, and Memorandum thereon by Mr P B. Walker, Secretary of Telegraphs, New South Wales.— Ordered to be printed. (Vide Appendix G, p. xxxi.) Also, — A Letter from the Hon. Mr Audley Coote to the Premier, New South Wales, relative to the New Caledonian Cable. (Vide Appendix G, p. xxxviii.) CANADIAN-PACIFIC CABLE. The Conference, according to order resumed the adjourned debate upon the question, That, considering the important interests involved, both of a national and commercial character, in the establishment of a Pacific cable, the representatives of the respective colonies assembled at this Conference recommend their Governments to consider the desirability of entering into a guarantee with the other countries interested, for a period not exceeding fourteen years, and to guarantee interest at 4 per cent, on a capital of not more than £1,800,000 to any company undertaking the laying of a Pacific cable the tariff not to exceed 3s. per word for ordinary telegrams, 2s. per word for Government telegrams, and Is. 6d. per word for Press telegrams, to and from Great Britain and the colonies , and that the United Kingdom be asked to join in the guarantee , the routes to be either of the following Brisbane to Ahipara Bay (New Zealand), Ahipara Bay to Suva, Suva to Apia, Apia to Fanning Island, Fanning Island to Sandwich Islands, Sandwich Islands to Vancouver or, from New Zealand to Suva, Suva to Apia, Apia to Fanning Island, Fanning Island to Sandwich Islands, Sandwich Islands to Vancouver Hon. Mr Ward (New Zealand) I think it would be as well to proceed with this order of the day, and for Mr Kidd to proceed with the debate upon it. We could afterwards deal with order No. 2 —viz., " Consideration of report of permanent heads of departments."