3

F.—Ba

the Eastern Telegraph Company (Limited), the Indo-European Telegraph Company (Limited), and the Eastern and South African Telegraph Company (Limited), (hereinafter called " the CisIndian Administrations"), and the lines and cables connected therewith. And whereas the telegraphic traffic between the Commonwealth on the one side, and Europe (and when transiting Europe all other countries beyond Europe) on the other side, is hereinafter called " the Commonwealth traffic." And whereas, in pursuance of the provisions of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, and of a Proclamation of the Governor-General of the Commonwealth, the Public Department of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones of each State comprised in the Commonwealth became transferred on the Ist day of March, 1901, to the Commonwealth. And whereas the present rates for the transmission of the Commonwealth traffic are governed by the two agreements and the provisional arrangement next hereinafter mentioned, that is to say : (a.) An agreement dated the 14th day of April, 1900, and made between the Government of the State of South Australia (then called the Colony of South Australia) of the first part, the Government of the State of Western Australia (then called the Colony of Western Australia) of the second part, the Government of the State of Tasmania (then called the Colony of Tasmania) of the third part, and the Extension Company of the fourth part, (b.) An agreement dated the 16th day of January, 1901, and made between the Government of the State of New South Wales (then called the Colony of New South Wales) of the one part, and the Extension Company of the other part, (c.) A provisional arrangement made on behalf of the Federal Government with the Extension Company for applying to the other States of the Commonwealth the rates for transmission of telegraphic messages provided by the said recited agreements. And whereas in pursuance of the said recited agreements and provisional arrangement the rates for Commonwealth traffic have been reduced and are now the rates set forth in Table A annexed hereto. And whereas it is desirable that the provisions of the said recited agreements and provisional arrangement should, subject to the modifications hereinafter appearing, be combined in one agreement, which shall be in substitution for the said recited agreements and provisional arrangement. And whereas the Extension Company, in co-operation with the Eastern Telegraph Company (Limited), have recently laid and are now operating a new cable between Durban, in the Colony of Natal, South Africa, and Australia, as provided by the said recited agreements (hereinafter called the " new cable "). And whereas at the date of the transfer of posts, telegraphs, and telephones to the Commonwealth as aforesaid divers other agreements were subsisting between the Extension Company and the States now comprised in the Commonwealth, or some of them, the benefits and obligations of which agreements thereupon passed to and were assumed by the Commonwealth, that is to say,— (1.) An agreement, dated the 29th day of August, 1871, between the Governor of the Province of South Australia of the one part, and the British-Australian Telegraph Company (Limited), (thereinafter and hereinafter called "the company "), of the other part (which company has since been merged in the Extension Company, and the benefits and obligations of the now reciting agreement are now vested in the Extension Company) : Whereby by Article 1 the company was empowered to lay down at any part of the coast at, in, or near the bay or port called Port Darwin, in the said province, the land end of a submarine cable, and to take possession of so much and such land not exceeding 6 acres at or within ten miles of the place selected for the landing of the said cable for station purposes as therein mentioned; and by Article 3 the company was, during the continuance of telegraphic communication, exempted from all provincial, local, and other taxes, rates, charges, and assessments within the said province, whether then existing or chargeable or thereafter to be charged, imposed, or created ; and by Article 4 the Government of South Australia undertook to construct, complete, and open for traffic a line of telegraph wires between Port Darwin and Adelaide, and maintain the same as therein expressed; and by Article 6 the company undertook to lay down, complete, and open for traffic a line of telegraphic communication between Java or Singapore and Port Darwin, which was shortly thereafter completed. (2.) An agreement, dated the 24th day of June, 1875, between the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand of the first part, the Governor of the Colony of New South Wales of the second part, and the Extension Company of the third part : Whereby by Article 2 the Extension Company was empowered to lay a submarine telegraph cable between New Zealand and Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales, the terminal' point on the coast of New Zealand to be at a point called Blind Bay or Golden Bay, and the terminal point at Sydney to be at the telegraph station there; by Article 6 the Governments respectively agreed to afford to the Extension Company all proper and reasonable facilities to enable the Extension Company to lay the said cable, and keep the same in repair, and to acquire any land necessary for their terminal stations in the said colonies, including a free grant of any Government land suitable for the purpose ; by Articles 7 and 8 the Government of New South Wales agreed to afford to the company certain facilities for working the cable at Sydney ; and by Articles 12 and 13 provision was made for the indication of route without charge, and limiting any terminal charge of the Government of New South Wales to the lowest ordinary rate. (3.) An agreement, dated the 9th January, 1889, made between the Colonial Secretary of the Colony of Western Australia of the one part, and the Extension Company of the other part, whereby the Extension Company was empowered to lay down at any part of the coast at, in, or near the bay or port called Roebuck Bay or Broome, in the Colony of Western Australia, the land end of a submarine cable, and, subject to the restrictions therein mentioned, to take possession of so much land not exceeding 8 acres at or within ten miles of the place selected for landing the said cable as they might require for landing cable or station purposes. (4.) An agreement, dated 14th March, 1889, between the Government of the Colony of Tasmania of the one part, and the Extension Company of the other part, which agreement is expressed to be supplemental to an agreement dated the 24th day of January, 1868, and made between the Tasmanian Government of the one part, and the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company (Limited) of the other part, the interest in which agreement last mentioned had