The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1876.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 91, 23 February 1876, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1876.

A mono st other things, for which this colony has certainly greatly to thank Sir •). 'Vogel, is the speedy completion of telegraphic communication with the ohl country, as well v- with nearly every part of the world. As was stilt.nl in our lust issue, the cable from Australia has been sately laid and lauded, •and New Zealand is now interwoven in the electric web Unit encircles the globe. In a verv short time all arrangements will be completed, and the people; of lAitea. will be enabled in this comparatively isolated spot to send messages 'with lightning speed to nearly every country to which civilisation lias pencil a ted, ami indeed to some where, as vet, its light has been hut dimly semi. A home company lias undertaken and 'successfully carried out the work, tue conditions being as follows :—“ in consideration of £r>,o»)o from New Zealand, and A-.boo pom New South Wales, to be paid yearly for ten years, the Eastern Extension Australasia amt China Telegraph Company (Limited) have undertaken to lay, with the utmost possible despatch, a cable between Pyd.m-y and some Northern point of the -middle Island of New Zealand. The. company undertake that the taiiil shall not exceed 7s Gil for ten words, and Od for each additional wood, and that on the messages averaging 'N)O a day during any Six liiimilis, lilt.* charge;* shall be induced to os for ten words, and Gd per word additional.” .It will thus be seen that a telegram ol ten words to N>w Eolith Wales will cost 7s (id, and bd lor every additional word—a tariff that may at the first blush appear high, but when the very heavy outlay is taken into consideration, will give nothing more than will pay fair interest on capital. Thus, for one pound, thirty-five words eau be forwarded, and, if people have any aptitude for condensation, the contents of a long letter can be compressed within that space. Speculation of all kinds lias received a seven; blow, for now the wants of New Zealand will be known at oneo, and at the same time importation can bo regulated so as to prevent a glutted market. On the other hand, exports can also be made with equal can; and the best market selected, when; produce of all kinds is likely to realise the highest ’prices. The incalculable Value in social life also, whereby families at the ends of the earth may be placed within a few hours of each other, will form no small ingredient in the appreciation of the new vehicle of communication. In case ot war breaking out—a contingency that 111 the present state*'of Europe is in the highest degree probable any dav, and is sure to eventuate bolero much more time has passed—the electric messenger will bring speedy warning, so that English possessions in the Australasian group and elsewhere may make duo preparations for any unwelcome visitors with whom they may be favored. Possibly communication may be intercepted by an enemy at some point, but there arc many others that the news will fly down, despite all that he could do. The morning newspapers in the larger towns will bo, at the same time, most benefitted and -chiefly victimised. They will be expected to supply European and other telegraphic news each morning as they do colonial items, and whilst this will render them far more interesting to their readers, they will derive nothing approach ing an equivalent for the great costinvolvcd,cvcn presuming that their circulation largely increased. The cost to them will be very great, and even the humbler country journals will feel the tax, if they even take the news on their publication days. Still, the boundless advantages that the telegraph will confer, will outweigh a hundredfold any trivial penalties of this kind, and are not to he considered for a moment in comparison with the boon obtained. The great disadvantage hitherto experienced in connection with telegraphy to Europe has been the necessarily high charges. The line passes through many countries, and every message is repeated at least once at every head station, so as to secure correctness where the the English language may bo but indifferently understood by foreign operators. The rates have therefore been almost prohibitive, excepting in extreme cases, or with commercial men whose trar.s.rations aie

in thousands at least, but tins is likely to be changed, and tbc cost brought within tbc reach of nearly all. During the Premiers stay in England, a thorough entente" cordialo was arrived at between him and Sir Daniel Cooper, Agent-General fur New South A ales, and the insult of their conferences, as far as the reduction on the co»t ol telegraphy goes, amwars in the i oil owing extract from a jointly sign d letter which appeared in the “Times” hast year, it ha I been previously agreed that on the payment of A2«.»,00»> a year by the colonies, the rate from England to Port Darwin, should, be £'■'> her t m words, and (id, (or every additional word. The Piler ivlcrrcd to says; “dim proposed redaction is not only (a moment in compari mu with the present rale, but il will get rid of what is the hardest portion oi the existing tarin tin? non-recognition ol less than a twentyrale, or ol any additions oi Jess than half that rail'. The present charge lor twenty words is £1) «s B>l to Adelaide, that sum being funs divided —£ Ito the South Australian Government, lor tue trans-coni iuentai route; Is to the Government of Java; Ms to the Governincut of .Inilin 5 g'o Gd to tlm Eastern or the Lido-Euopian Comj'any, whichever is employed India and London ; the balance, £0 8s lid going to Ihe Eastern Extension Company. The lasi-named company thus agree to taue A i os for t-‘ii words, instead oi £0 <Ss od for twenty words, which they now receive ■ and also to establish a rale ol (Is for each word after the first ten.” Whether the line will he opened with this uew tariff or no!, we do not Know, but, if it is. a very largo amount ol business will be done on these terms. In all probability, however, Parliament wiil have, to lie consulted, but its sanction to incurring'a si;are of the demand cannot. for a moiu.nl be doubted.. On the. whole, New EA.land has great cause for rejoicing at the work being Complel d, and ov.xs a debt ol gi'.iidnde to all c< ncemed; to those who suggested and completed preliminaries, and to tlmsc, who have so .skilfully and successful !y brought the undertaking to a triumphant conclusion. { ."rnnee tin* above was in type, a pivimii.u’.ry Garni hers been posted, and appears olsewic• v■. P will be. seen that it varies slightly from what wa; a ittctpaicd, but tno sameremarks agpiiy.]