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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4459, 5 July 1875, Page 4

Two items of news which reached this colony during the past week have been received with very general satisfaction. We refer to theannounoenientthat the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company had undertaken to lay a cable between the Australian mainland and New Zealand, and the completion of a contract for a mail service with Europe via San Francisco. The first will bring this colony within the great circle of intellectual, political, and commercial activity. As the most remote and outlying station of the British Empire, the annexation of Now Zealand by cable will be a matter of very general interest. New Zealand is remarkable in many ways, and if for no other reason than its indebtedness, it is the object of solicitude in England. This colony is not now the insignificant but promising community it was some twelve years ago, when the British Government put forth such enormous power to preserve it from ruin at the hands of a barbarous enemy, for whom,it notwithstanding manifested the utmost solicitude, and vyhom it chastised more in sorrow than in anger. It has made . rapid strides towards maturity since then-; and with unbounded faith in its resources and future, has drawn against futurity for a large amount. And the .British capitalist,. having faith in the security, promptly honored the draft. The result of this policy is seen in the construction of railways, the bridging of rivers and streams, the introduction of tens of thousands of immigrants- from England, the occupation of the waste lands, the extension of commerce and manufactures, and the growth of a healthy and vigorous State. The connection of such a young country, by telegraph, with London, and other centres of commercial activity throughout the world, will be an event deserving of special notice. The completion of this work is now only a question of time ; aud when completed it will revolutionise, if we inistake not, the whole style of business in the colony. This is a project, the completion of which is to be credited to the persevering energy of Sir Junius Vogel. Next in importance to telegraphic connection with Europe, by way of Australia, is the mail service between Sydney aud.New Zealand with England, via San Francisco and the United States. In Saturday’s issue wo summarised the contract which Mr. Thomas Russell, on behalf of Now Zealand, and Sir Charles Cooper, on behalf of New South Wales, concluded with the Pacific Steamship Company and its English partners, to conduct thisservice. Thesubsidyappoarslarge; but the class of boats to be employed is such as to necessitate a high rate of pay. The travelling public will derive the greatest measure of advantage no doubt ; but the commercial relations between this couiitiy and the United States must bo extended in consequence of the facilities thus afforded for the conveyance of freightand passengers. The fact that the successful tender came within £SO of the private tender of the A.S.N. Company, deposited with the Sydney Government, has led to considerable discussion in commercial circles in Sydney. Wo have only the bare statement of amount in the official telegram. Possibly, on receipt of detailed information, it will bo found that there is nothing suspicious in the coincidence noted. Be that as it may, we hail the prospect of ' a permanent mail service via San Francisco, with satisfaction. Even the temporary service, by the Australian Steam Navigation Company, has been of very groat advantage to the colony, although the route has not recovered its position with the travelling public in consequence of the breakdown, and something worse, of the Webb-Hall line. . '