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F.—2

Sunday morning at 11 o'clock, and Sunday at Albany will be thus turned into a week-day The hotels would necessarily be open to enable passengers by steamers to obtain refreshments, &c. It is obvious also that we shall have to run trains to Albany on Sunday, as we cannot allow mails to lie a day or two at that port. Then the Customhouse officials will be employed during the day examining and taking charge of luggage and merchandise which arrives by steamers. The Post Office officials will also necessarily be employed, and passengers, unless the telegraph-office is opened—which it is not, at present, on Sunday—will not be able to communicate with their friends in the neighbouring colonies steam-launches will have to be at work, and, in fact, Albany will be without a Sunday if steamers are allowed there, as it is proposed. I think the other colonies concerned will see that in the interests, of Western Australia, and in the interests of the people residing at Albany, it is very undesirable to turn the Sabbath into a week-day, and take away entirely the only opportunity the officials have of taking a rest, making Albany absolutely a town without a Sabbath. At present, the mails leave Adelaide on Wednesday, so that they arrive at Albany on Saturday, but, as far as I can say, it will be a matter of indifference to our colony as to which day the mails arrive, so long as it is not a Sunday We are perfectly willing to sacrifice the Saturday afternoon—the half-holiday usually given to officials—to look after passengers, mails, and merchandise, but we certainly must enter a strong protest against having these steamers arriving on Sunday The steamers arrive at Brindisi on Sunday—and I have been there on several occasions when coming out from London—and Brindisi is practically without a Sunday at all. When the P and 0. steamers are there, the hotels are open, the market-places are open, all the officials are about, just the same as on a week-day, and it seems to me that, if the steamers are to call at Albany on Sunday, that day will be treated in the same way as it is at Brindisi. I hope, therefore, in the interests of Western Australia, that the members of this Conference will kindly consider this question, and name any other day than Thursday for the departure of mails from Adelaide. Hon. Mr. Wilson (Queensland) I thought this matter had been arranged at the last Brisbane Conference. I find it says here " that the day of departure from Adelaide be Saturday, not later than 2 p.m." That day suits us very well, but we would even agree to Friday If Thursday is inserted we shall have to make up our mails on the Sunday, which would be very inconvenient. Now if our mails leave Brisbane on Monday evening, at 6.25 p.m., they reach Sydney at 11 o'clock next night, and leave again on Wednesday, at 5.15 p.m., arriving at Melbourne on Thursday, at 11.45 a.m., and Adelaide on Friday It would be too late for the Adelaide mail if Thursday were the day of departure, but it would be in time supposing Friday was agreed to. On behalf of Queensland, I must object to Thursday I would not object to Friday, but I prefer Saturday Hon. Dr Cockbukn (South Australia) Saturday was inserted at the last Conference at Brisbane, but Thursday was recommended in the first instance and agreed to. There are grave reasons against Saturday The time of arrival of the mails in England at present allows of replies being sent from provincial centres. That is a matter of importance, not only to the English people but to the great mass of our own people and producers generally who are trying to open up a trade in other centres than London. The mail leaving Adelaide on Wednesday or Thursday enables replies to be sent, Saturday will not, even allowing for the accelerated pace of the service. Wednesday or Thursday will meet this requirement, possibly Friday I think I recognise the force of the statement made by the Hon. the Colonial Secretary of Western Australia, and I do not know whether if we put it in optional for Friday how that would do. lam sure that we are anxious to meet one another as far as we can, and I understand that Friday will suit the colonies generally The chief point is what I have already expressed, that it will not be in time to get the replies from provincial centres in England, which I think we should recognise. Of course there is this to be said that an accelerated mail-service may meet this difficulty That of course could only be ascertained when the tenders are in, and I would suggest, therefore, that when the tenders are in this point can be considered by the Imperial authorities. If we have not then the material to settle the question we might make it optional for Thursday or Friday, and then possibly Friday would be fixed. Saturday throws replies absolutely out in the provincial centres, and dislocates the. English service. I would suggest Thursday or Friday, if possible Friday Hon. Mr Kidd (New South Wales) I understand that Friday will suit us just as well as Thursday, only for the reasons stated by the Hon. Dr. Cockburn—viz., that there would be no time for the replies, and the Imperial authorities would not be likely to agree to it. We want them to agree to what would be reasonable, and I think if the day of departure were put off a day in Western Australia they might have their Sunday on Saturday occasionally, when the mails are being made up. I suppose every one likes to have their Sunday It makes no difference to New South Wales, and the objection to Thursday would apply to Queensland only I would not like to deprive my honourable friend Mr Parker of his Sunday by any means, but it makes no difference whatever to us in particular, as Friday will suit just as well as Thursday If the Imperial authorities can see their way to comply with it, we may as well have it Friday as Thursday Amendment agreed to. Another amendment proposed. To omit, in the same line, the word " later," and insert in lieu thereof the word " earlier " (Hon. Dr Gockburn, South Australia.) Hon. Dr Cockbukn (South Australia) I would like to make a suggestion. I see the words are " not later than 2 p.m." I think, if the Conference is willing, it would be very much better to insert the words " not earlier than 2 p.m." I have been asked to press for a later hour, but I feel there is a difficulty in getting a later hour, because I know the difficulty Western Australia is in in the matter A later hour than 2 p.m. would enable the mails to reach Albany in time. I ask that the clause be recommitted, with a view to inserting the words " not earlier than," in lieu of " not later than." Amendment agreed to.