F.—B.

No. 31. The Managee in Australasia, Eastern Extension Company, to the Hon. the PostmasterGeneeal, Wellington. The Eastern Extension, Australasia, and China Telegraph Company (Limited), Sir,— Melbourne, 18th May, 1903. I have the honour, by direction, to inform you that, in compliance with a request made by the Eight Hon. the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, my board of directors has agreed to reduce the rates to India and China to 2s. 6d. per word on and after Ist June, 1903. My board has also decided to extend the reduced tariffs to New Zealand, with the addition of their New Zealand cable transit and your Government terminal rates, from the same date, and I have the pleasure to enclose a complete list of the latter herewith [not printed] . I have, &c, W. Warren, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Manager in Australasia.

No. 32. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Manager in Australasia, Eastern Extension Company, Melbourne. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 24th June, 1903. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the ISth ultimo, notifying that, in compliance with the request of the Eight Hon. the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, your board of directors had agreed to reduce the rates to India and China to 2s. 6d. per word, as from the Ist June, 1903 ; also that your board had decided to extend the reduced tariffs to New Zealand, with the addition of their New Zealand cable transit and the New Zealand Government's terminal rates, as from the same date. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. The Manager in Australasia, Eastern Extension, Australasia, and China Telegraph Company (Limited), Melbourne.

TASMANIAN CABLE.

No. 33. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Melbourne, 16th October, 1902. Governor-General approved cable rate for telegrams transmitted over cable between Tasmania and Victoria be reduced to halfpenny per word, including address and signature, take effect from first November. Alteration applies only to ordinary inter-State telegrams. No alteration at present intended to be made in cable charge on Press telegrams. Letter following.

No. 34. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Commonwealth of Australia (Postmaster-General's Department), Sir,— Melbourne, 16th October, 1902. In confirmation of my telegram of to-day's date, I have the honour to inform you that the Acting Governor-General in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, by and with the advice of the Executive Council thereof, has approved that the cable rate for telegrams transmitted over the cable between Tasmania and Victoria be reduced to one halfpenny (-J-d.) per word, including address and signature, to take effect on and from the Ist day of November, 1902. The alteration applies only to ordinary inter-State telegrams, and no alteration is at present intended to be made in the cable charge on Press telegrams. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Eobt. T. Scott, Secretary.

No. 35. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Melbourne, 24th November, 1902. Goveenor-General in Council has approved that Tasmanian cable charge on Press telegrams within Commonwealth and to and from New Zealand, sent over Tasmanian cable, be reduced to one shilling for first one hundred words and sixpence each additional fifty words, dating from first instant. 2—F. 8.

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