THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1871.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 6, 13 October 1871, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1871.

Although the management of the Telegraph department by the Government has been the subject of much comment lately, the seventh annual report of the Commissioner, showing its working and progress, is interesting. This paper was presented to Parliament early in the session, and contains valuable information, of which a good deal has reference more immediately to this district. We propose making a summary of the report. At the date of the last report, the Thames line was incomplete, the section from Pukoi'okoro to the Piako remaining unfinished. It was completed during the year 1670-71, at A total cost of

L 5,037 10s Id. “which includes the building and the supplying of material for four turrets, two atPiako and two at the Thames—in order to enable those rivers to be spanned.” Owing textile exceptional nature of the work on this line, it cost more per mile than jiny other line in the colony, the amount being L 139 18s 7d per mile. The next costliest line of telegraph was that between Napier and Tauranga, a distance of 200 miles, which cost LlO5 9s per mile. The report thus explains the difficulties encountered by the department when connecting Mercer with the Thames:—

“ Considerable expense was incurred “ in cradling some of the poles, which “ was found necessary, owing to the “ boggy nature of the ground over which “ the line had in many places to be “ carried, and to the natives having “ persistently endeavoured to confine “ the line down to the edge of the “ sea.” Fortunately the native difficulty was overcome through the tact and untiring industry' of Mr. Janies Mackay, junr., who gave his services gratuitously for the purpose, and but for him, we feel convinced the Government could not have connected the goldfield towns with Auckland by means of the telegraph as soon as they did. Mr. Mackay is, however, no friend of the present Government, and his influence with the natives is not availed of as it might be by the Native Minister. And the section of the Auckland telegraph line completed since the date of the last report is the last eight miles of the Napier and Tauranga line. This completes the connection southward to Wellington, a distance of 450 miles by wire. For a time, as our readers are aware, the Government managed to run a mail overland from Tauranga to Grahamstown, in connection with the Telegraph ; and the public were only beginning to appreciate its "convenience when it was stopped by To Hira and Mere Ivnru, at the instigation of the King natives. And here again Ml'. Mackay might have been of very great use in removing the opposition of the natives ; but his influence was distasteful to the governing clique, and the memory of past services were forgotten. After paying a considerable sum to the mail contractor, and attempting in vain to menace or cajole the recalcitrant chief, the government abandoned the service ; and the line between Tauranga and Wellington is deprived of the chance of paying as a section of the main colonial line of telegraph should pay. The total cost of this line of 110 miles, including a line of 90 miles between Napier and Tapauaeharuru, was L 21,090 3s. The country through which it passes is very broken and difficult, and the material bad to lie packed on horses. The poles were principally cut from heart of totara. In some instances the standing bnsh was availed of. In some places good totara was scarce, and built poles were resorted to. These are found to answer every purpose, being light and strong. The connection between Taupo and Alexandra, on the Waipa river, Upper Waikato, has not been made as yet. A great fuss Avas made, our readers may recollect, some time ago regarding the removal of the aukati between these two points, and it is an undoubted fact that the Government have been able occasionally to get letters through by means of their emissaries ; but for all practical purposes, the aukati has not been removed. The Queen’s writ would run aAvay, if it was taken there at all; and the Native Minister’s messenger is compelled to skulk past the Maori settlements to avoid suspicion, and most probably arrest. This short section, liOAvever, and a section of almost similar length, between Tauranga and the Thames, cuts off Auckland from participation in the advantages of telegraph communication. The line from Tauranga to Katikati, at the extreme north of Tauranga harbour, is in course of con struction, the contract having been let to Mr. McKenzie, for supply of poles and erection, at 40s per pole. Mr. Sheath, district manager, states that this line of route “ will cut off the most “ difficult part of the mail route between “ the Thames and Auckland.” The poles are to be heart of totara.” This is all that refers specially to our province, or Avhicli has any direct interest at the Thames. Of course all must be satisfied at the rapid development of the telegraph system. The total number of miles in operation is, 1,175 miles in the South Island, and 801 miles in the North Island, together being 1,976 miles. In 1866 tl ! ere were 699 miles of telegraph in operation, and 27,327 telegrams were Avired. “ The total value of business done in 1866 was a little over £6,000; it now exceeds £32,000,” It appears that the shilling tariff doubled the number of telegrams, comparing 1871 Avith the previous year. The total number of telegrams Avas 253,582 in 1871. The cash value of the telegrams chargable to the various public departments in 1871 Avas L 9,876 17s (id. From the return it appears that Wellington, the seat of Government, including the Government telegrams and telegrams during the session, returns a total receipt on the past year of L 1,265; whilst Auckland station returns L 1.237 14s 6d, and Grahamstown and Thames L 1,244 15s, thus sliOAving that by far the most profitable telegraph lines in the colony are those in this province, and connected with the goldfield. It is true the Dunedin office returns L 2,784 14s 9d, but this is tire centre of an immense telegraph system throughout the province, and every part of Otago may be said to use Dunedin as its port. Not so Avith Auckland, liOAvever. It is to be hoped that the petition for extension of the telegraph to Coromandel Avill be pressed upon the Government. Mr. Creighton brought the subject forward early in the session, and it only remains with the people themselves to second his efforts to make them completely successful. We have not space to allude ,tg the paragraphs in the report bearing on

“ the telegraph libel case.” Suffice it that the-report of the proceedings in Parliament on this subject,.which have come to hand, do not bear out the favourable construction put upon it by the acting commissioner of telegraphs.