POSTAL CONFERENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 666, 6 May 1867, Page 3

POSTAL CONFERENCE.

Mojtday, 11th Maech. The whole ot the renreHßntatnVoc. present. Mr Macalister proposed — That three postal routes be established, viz., via Suez and King Q-eorge's Sound, via Panama, and via Singapore and Torres Straits, and that the cost of these services be borne by the United Kingdom and the Colonies respectively, on the basis of the proposition contained in the memorandum handed in by the representatives of New Zealand (paper No. 3), and that the Colonial" moiety be paid by the Colonies respectively in the following proportions, viz: — Victoria . . . . £48,000 New South Wales . . 47,000 South Australia . . . 16,000 New Zealand . . . 39,400 Queensland . . . 20,500 Tasmania . . . . 5,000 Western Australia . . 700 Amounting to £177,000 being moiety of the estimated cost of the three lines with branch services. Seconded by Mr Gore. Discussion ensued. Copy of resolutions to be moved by Mr Parkes handed in. Ordered to be printed. Memorandum handed in by the representatives of South Australia. — Ordered to be printed. The meeting then adjourned, at 2 p.m., until 11 a.m. on Tuesday, the 12th. TITESDAT, MAUCH 12TH. The whole of the representatives were present. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed — Mr Macalister requested to be allowed to withdraw the resolution standing in his name in favor of the following — moved by Mr Parkes : — " 1. That any scheme of ocean postal communication agreed upon by this Conference should, in providing for the general convenience, be so adapted to special intersts as to secure the concurrence and support of all the associated Colonies. "2, That any such scheme will be valuable in each of the Colonies in proportion to the number of points of commercial intercourse which it shall be made to include, in combination with expedition and regularity of conveyance between Great Britain and Australia. "3. That the facilities for the transmission of merchandise and for passenger traffic ought not to be overlooked as collateral advantages. "4. That the advantage of more rapid telegraphic communication by way of Torres Straits commends that route to the favorable consideration of the Conference. . ■» i " 5. That the contributions of the associated Colonies to the cost of any such general scheme should be proportioned, not so much by calculations of the actual population or the post-office correspondence, as on the basis of a compromise of interests and preferences in view of a common federal object. . , " 6. That, considering our political connexion as dependencies of the Crown, and the interests of England as a commercial nation in the trade and progress of the Colonies, one half of the cost of any such aggregate -scheme ought in justice to! be borne by the Imperial Government. " 7. That in the proposed federal action the colpnies_pf "Victoria, New South Wales, and New Zealand are considered" as possessing equal interests, which may be approximately estimated as follows : — Viotobia— On the basis of popur lation and commerce, with her general interest in Australian progress and her special interest in the maintenance of the Suez route, from her undoubted priority of advantages derived from it. New Sotjth Wales.— On the basis of population and commerce and the same general interest, with her supposed greater interest in the Panama route. New Zealatsd. — On the same basis of individual and general interest, with her undoubted priority of advantages in com--munication via Panama. " 8. That the interests of Queensland, governed by her geographical situation, require a special service which does not present any considerable advantages to the other Colonies, but that it is not desirable that Queensland should be disunited from the other Colonies in the settlement of this question. "9. That the Colonies of South Australia and Tasmania, partly owing to specialities of social character, and partly to the limitation of their intercolonial relations, will be least affected by any new adjustment of the existing postal arrangements,

" 10. That, in order to establish a postal ._ system affording regular fortnightly communication by three lines, via Brisbane and Torres Straits to Singapore, ?ia Melbourne and South Australia to Suez, and via New Zealand to Panama, with the necessary ' branch services, the six Colonies represented at this Conference should contribute a moiety, not exceeding £200,000, of the total cost, in the following proportions, vj«. : — Victoria :. One-fourth. New South "Wales . One-fourth. New Zealand . -'. One-fourth. Queensland . . . One-seyenth. South Australia . One-twelfth. Tasmania . . . One-fiftieth. "11. That it is expedient that the six Colonies represented at this Conference should act in concert in urging these views, and should join in a memorial to Her Majesty j setting forth tho mutual advantages to be derived by England and Australia from their adoption." Seconded by Mr Docker. Discussion, ensued. Mr Ward moved, as an amendment, that the following words be added to the eighth resolution proposed by Mr Parkes : — " That this Conference, while deeming it expedient to establish^ at^pres^n^ thrge poses, will Be prepared to consider any reasonable proposal which may be made fora joint contribution to a steam service to be established by Queensland via Torres Straits to Singapore, in addition to any general postal system which may be agreed upon." Seconded by Mr Hill. Discussion ensued. Mr Ward's amendment was then put to the meeting by the Chairman, with the following result : — For : — Victoria, New Zealand. Against :— New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Quensland. The amendment was accordingly lost. Mr Parkes' resolutions were then considered. The first resolution was put to the meeting and agreed to without amendment. The second resolution was agreed to ! after being amended by striking out the words " in combination," second line, and inserting in lieu the word " consistently." The third resolution was agreed to without amendment. The fourth resolution was agreed to without amendment. The fifth resolution was agreed to without amendment. rf The sixth resolution was agreed to, after being amended by striking out the word " England," and inserting in lieu the words " G-reat Britain" (second line), and by striking out the words "in justice," in the last line. On the seventh resolution being considered, Mr Hall proposed that the word "and," after " New South Wales," in first line, be struck out, and that the words "and Queensland" be inserted after the words "New Zealand," in second line. Seconded by Mr Ward. The amendment was put to the meeting by the Chairman, with the following result : — For: — New Zealand. Against : — Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland. The amendment was accordingly lost, and the original resolution, as proposed, was agreed to. The eighth resolution was agreed to after inserting the word " postal" after the word " considerable," in second line. The 1 ninth resolution was agreed to a*fcer striking out all the words from " partly," first line, to " relations'' inclusive, in second line, and* by striking out the- words " any new," second line, and inserting in lieu " the proposed." On "the tenth resolution being considered, it was proposed by Mr Boucaut and seconded by Mr Duffield, " That the proportion to be born by South Australia shall be one thirteenth, and that by Tasmania be one.: forty-seventh." This amendment was put to the meeting by the Chairman, with the following result : — For — South Australia" and New Zealand. Against — Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and Tasmania. . The amendment was accordingly lost, and the original resolution as proposed was, agreed to. The eleventh resolution was agreed to after striking out the' word " England," last line, and inserting the words JiJDfiifced_iyngs3^^Jn^lieu. ' The whole of :the re?olutT6fis7*as"-follow," wefe then unanimously agreed to :— ■~" 1. That any scheme of ocean postal communication agreed upon by this Conference should, in providing for the general convenience, be so adapted to special interests as to secure the concurence and support of all the associated Colonies. • "2. That any such scheme will be valuable to each of the Colonies in pro-, portion to the number of points of commercial intercourse which it shall be made to include, consistently with expedition and regularity of conveyance between Great Britain and Australia. "3. That the facilities for the transmission o£ merchandise and for passenger traffic ought not to be overlooked as collateral advantages. "4. That the advantage of more rapid telegraphic communication by, way of Torres Straits commends /jjhat route to the favorable consideration of the Conference. " 5. That the contributions of the assosociated colonies to the cost of any such general scheme should be proportioned, not so much by calculations of the actua] population or the po3t-office correspondence as on the basis of compromise oi interests and preferences in view of -c common federal object., 6. That, considering our political connection as dependencies of the Grown and the interest of Great Britain as i commercial nation in the trade and pro

gress of the Colonies, one-half of the coai of any such aggregate scheme ought tc be borne by the Imperial Government. 7. " That in the proposed federal actior the Colonies of Victoria, New Soutt "Wales, and New Zealand are considered as possessing equal interest which may be approximately estimated as follows :— Victoria.-— On the basis of population and commerce, with her _ general interest in Australian progress and her special interest in the maintenance of the Suez route, from her undoubted priority of advantages derived : from it. New South "Wales.— On the basis of population and commerce and the same general interest, with her supposed greater interest in the Panama route. New Zealand. —On the same basis of individual and general interest, with her undoubted priority of advantages in communication via Panama. " 8. That the interests of Queensland, require a special service which does not present any considerable postal advantages to the other colonies, but r that it is H. ■* ..»uv vixcvv bIiuuICL D 6 disunited from the other colonies in the settlement of this question. " 9. That the colonies of South Australia and Tasmania will be least effected by the proposed adjustment of the existing postal arrangements. " 10. That, in order to establish a postal system affording regular, fortnightly communication by three lines, via Brisbane and Torres Straits to Singapore, via Melbourne and South Australia to Suez, via New Zealand to Panama, with the necessary branch services, the six colonies represented at this Conference should contribute a moiety, not exceeding £200,000, of the total cost, in the following proportions, viz : — Victoria . . . One-fourth. New South Wales . One-fourth. New Zealand . . One-fourth. Queensland . . One-seventh. South Australia . . One-twelfth. Tasmania . . . One-fiftieth. "11. That it is expedient that the six Colonies represented at this Conference should act in cencert in urging these views, and should join in a memorial to Her Majesty, setting forth the mutual advantages to be derived by Great Britain and Australia from their adoption." The meeting then adjourned at 2 p.m., until 11 a.m. on Thursday, 14th March, 1867.

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