F.—B

20

The question of misspelt words and abbreviations of words joined up together such as " melorsyd," meaning " Melbourne or Sydney " ; " niconly," meaning " Nicolaieff only " ; " besucando," meaning " best you can do," was discussed, and Mr. Lamb considered that the counter-clerks could not be held responsible if they did not refuse such words, and that the benefit of any doubt ought to be given to the senders. At the same time, he considered that if such abbreviations occurred in plain-language messages, and the counter-clerk at the collecting-station knew what they meant, the number of words which they represented ought to be charged for —that is, if they were not entitled, as in the case of " canpac," to pass as abbreviated expressions in current use —at five letters to a word ; but if they occurred in messages consisting entirely of code they must practically be accepted without query. It would not be practicable to disprove or challenge the sender's statement that such an expression was used as a code word. Misspelt words and abbreviations of words joined together should be treated as evasions in plainlanguage messages, but are admissible in code or mixed messages wherein the context does not prove clearly that they are evasions ; in such cases the sender must be given benefit of doubt. No. 51. The Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Manager in the Pacific, Pacific Cable Board, Sydney. Sir— General Post Office, Wellington, 16th February, 1909. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th instant, forwarding a copy of the memorandum of discussion held between the representatives of the London General Post Office and the Eastern and Associated Telegraph Companies on the 10th November, 1904, regarding the question of application of Article VIII, paragraph 4, of the International Telegraph Convention and Service Regulations (London, 1903, Revision), and to inform you that instructions have been given in accordance with the finding of the Conference. I have, &c, W. R. Morris, Acting-Secretary. The Manager in the Pacific, Pacific Cable Board, Devon Chambers, 40 Hunter Street, Sydney. [Tel. 08/3642.] _________________ No. 52. [News Extract, 25th February, 1909.] Tasmanian Cables. (Telegram.) Melbourne, 24th February, 1909. The laying of the two submarine telegraph cables for the Federal Government, by Siemens Brothers, between Victoria and Tasmania has been successfully accomplished. [H.I. Tel., Vol. 2, ]). 420.] ___________________ No. 53. [News Extract, 13th May, 1909.] (Telegram.) London, 12th May, 1909. Sir John Wolfe-Barry, Chairman of the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company, states that it is intended to pick up the Tasmanian cable. [11.1. Tel., Vol. 2. p. 47.->.] WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. No. 54. The Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. My Lord,— Downing Street, 19th May, 1908. With reference to your despatch of the 3rd December last [not printed], I have the honour to request you to inform your Ministers that His Majesty's Government propose to ratify the Radiotelegraphic Convention before the Ist July next, which is the date fixed for the Convention to come into operation, and they will at the same time notify adhesion to the Convention on behalf of till the British colonies, possessions, and protectorates, with the exception of Newfoundland, which has not yet decided the question of its adhesion, and the Orange River Colony, which, as an inland colony, sees no reason for adhering at present. 2. This adhesion, will, of course, not involve adhesion to the Additional Undertaking as to communication between ships. 3. His Majesty's Government will also notify that the British colonies, possessions, and protectorates which adhere to the Convention reserve the right referred to in Article II of the Final Protocol of exempting certain coast stations from the obligation of intercommunication.