TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION WITH AUCKLAND.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 268, 17 August 1872, Page 3

TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION WITH AUCKLAND.

IMPORTANT MEETING. A meeting of sharebrokers and others interested in obtaining increased facilities for communication between Auckland and the Thames by telegraph, was held last night at. the Governor Bowen Hotel. Captain Skene was called to ti e chair, and explained the object for which ti e meeting had been called, which was to endeavour to obtain an additional win between here and Auckland, as, according io the present state of affairs, the line was at times almost useless. Mr Salmon, as the convener of the meeting, said that those present knew as well as lie could tell them that on busy days, when despatch was of th greatest importance they were una • e to obtain an answer from Auckland, under six hours, ns it took nearly thro hours before it could be sent away, such was the accumulation of messages. At such times work could actually be done quicker by pigeon express than by wiie, and great numbers of people now were giving up using the line to a great extent as it was all but useless to them, in fact, it put an end to any business of ext> nt neing done with Auckland at all He (Mr Salmon) had taken the trouble to inquire into the matter, and had found out that no one was to Mann, as to do the work in anything like prop r time was out of the question, with only one wire to work on. He thought that the best thing to be done was to telegra di at once to Mr Lemon, the General Manager, ami not wait to write by post, as it would take such a long time to get an answer that way. He would therefore move that the following telegram be sent to Mr Lemon to-morrow :

“At a meeting of shareholders and business men held last evening, the inadequacy of the present telegraph accommodation to meet requirements was considered and demonstrated by actual fact, and it was unanimously resolved that you should be applied to for the erection of another wire between Auckla jd and the Thames The transmission of individual messages now occupies from one to four hours. We would further suggest that the urgency of the case is such that the value of an additional wire would" be greatly enhanced by its speedy erection." The resolution was seconded by MiSlater,

Mr William Rowe made some remarks with regard to the proposed application for another wire, and he said that he thought that a great deal of the blame for delay was to be attached to the officials in tho Telegraph Offices, more especially iu the Auckland branch, where he himself had seen as many as twenty or th : rty messages piled up, and not a messenger in the office to take them out. He thought that tho officers were lax in their duties, and did not sec properly to tue speedy delivery of messages after their* arrival. He thought that a memorial should be sent to Wellington as well as he telegram, to fully explain the case xactly as it stood. The Chairman said that he was of romething the same opiuion as Mr Rowe, and had intended to say so before the meeting separated. , The resolution was then carried unanimously, and the petition was signed by all present. Mr Hudson proposed, “That Messrs Salmon, Skene, Frater, Warmoll, lhittle, Slator, and the mover, be appoiuted a committee to draw up a memorial to be forwarded to Wellington.’" Seconded by Mr KENNAN.and carried. Votes of thanks were passed to the Chairman and convener, and the meeting then separated. We must say that we quite agree with the tenor of tne resolution passed at the meeting last night, and wc also say that not only would it be an immense benelit to the brokers and other business men of the place, but it would actually be a source of income to the Government, and the outlay expended in the necessary work would lie reeovered in a very short space of time. A wile between this and Auckland, and tor tile sole use of these two places is an absolute necessity, and one which we consider the Government are bound to do away with.