F.— Ba.

The existing tariff of 4s. 9d. between South Australia and the United Kingdom is apportioned thus :— s. d. United Kingdom or Europe ... ... ... ... ... 0 2 Eastern, Eastern Extension, and associated companies ... ... 3 7 Indian land-line, Bombay to Madras ... ... ... ... 0 3J Java ... ... ... ... ... "... ... ... 0 4 South Australia ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 7 Total ... ... ... ... ... 4 9 The 3s. 7d. is pooled, and divided between the Eastern, Eastern Extension, and Indo-European Companies and the Persian Gulf Telegraph Department, administered by the Indian Government. As before stated, the company propose that the reduced rates shall be uniform throughout the colonies, the Australian land charges to be— s. d. s. d. On ordinary messages ... ... ... ... 0 6 out of 4 0 On Government messages ... ... ... ... 0 5 „ 3 0 On Press messages ... ... ... ... ... 0 4 „ 16 and it is suggested that the aggregate revenue from these land or terminal rates shall be pooled, and apportioned as under : — South Australia ... ... ... ... ... 67-59 percent. Western Australia ... ... ... ... ... 19-39 „ Victoria ... ... ... ... ... ... 3-24 „ . New South Wales ... ... ... ... ... 8-37 Queensland ... ... ... ... ...- ... o'B9 „ Tasmania ... ... ... ... ... ... 0-08 „ Tasmanian cable ... ... ... ... ... 0-44 „ Total ... ... ... ... 100-00 per cent. The average yearly traffic, taking the last two years only, was: — Ordinary messages ... ... ... ... ... 1,862,412 words. Government messages • ... ... ... ... 48,608 „ Press messages ... ... ... ... ... 141,998 „ Total ... ... ... ... 2,053,018 words. The colonial receipts under existing transit and terminal rates, taking the average of the last two years, were as follows : — Total for Two Years, . „ 1897 and 1898. Average per Year. £ s. d. £ s. d. South Australia 89,582 0 0 44,791 0 0 Victoria ... ... ... ... 4,336 0 0 2,168 0 0 Tasmania and cable ... ... ... 770 0 0 385 0 0 New South Wales ... ... ... 11,084 0 0 5,542 0 0 New Zealand ... ... ... 8,004 0 0 4,002 0 0 Queensland... ... ... ... 1,184 0 0 592 0 0 Western Australia ... ... ... 26,324 0 0 13,162 0 0 Total ... £141,284 0 0 £70,642 0 0 Total 70,642 0 0 Excluding New Zealand... ... ... ... ... 4,002 0 0 Australian receipts ... ... ... ... ... £66,640 0 0 Under pooling arrangements, adopting the percentage apportionment suggested by the Eastern Extension Company, the revenue to each colony would have been — £ s. d. South Australia ... ... 67-59 per cent. ... 45,042 0 0 Victoria ... ... ... 3-24 „ ... 2,159 0 0 Tasmania ... ... ... 0-08 „ ... 53 0 0 Tasmanian cable ... ... 0-44 „ ... 293 0 0 New South Wales ... ... 8-37 „ ... 5,578 0 0 Queensland ... ... ... 0-89 „ ... 593 0 0 West Australia ... ... ... 19-39 „ ... 12,922 0 0 Total ... ... 100-00 per cent. ... £66,640 0 0 nearly corresponding in each case with the actual revenue of the several colonies under their existing charges. With, however, a common Australian terminal rate of 6d. on ordinary messages, sd. on Government messages, and 4d. on Press messages the aggregate revenue of the colonies, taking the business of the last two years, would, of course, be much less, thus : — No. of Words. £ s. d. Ordinary messages ... ... 1,862,412 at 6d. ... 46,560 6 0 Government messages ... ... 48,608at sd. ... 1,012 13 4 Press messages ... ... 141,998 at 4d. ... 2,366 12 8 Total ... ... 2,053,018 ... £49,939 12 0

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