D._ No. l. B,

boisterous weather, together with the detention elsewhere of the steamer appropriated for the survey, caused some delay, but on the 26th July last, Mr. Balfour was enabled to report to me the satisfactory termination of his investigation, in which he had been most ably assisted by Captain Kennedy, of the Marine Board, and by Captain Fox and the officers of the Colonial steamer Sandny. The repoit of Mr. Balfour appears in D. No. I—D. After a careful examination of several lines which promised much that was desirable, Mr. Balfour decided upon that which stretches from Port Underwood to Port Nicholson, starting from Oyster Cove or Ocean Bay, running up Chaffer's Passage between Barrett's Reef and the shore of the Peninsula, and ending in Worser Bay, in the Province of Wellington. The route selected, " proves to be a very excellent one, being sand, fine gravel, and and broken shells the whole way across," and it has the further particular advantage of being marked out by natural objects the whole way across, and of a good landing at both ends, the line becoming more and more'sheltered as the water shoals. In Ocean Bay the water gTadually deepens to 14 fathoms outside of Port Robertson, and thence to about 94 fathoms, shoaling- to 70 fathoms and again deepening to 132 about two-thirds of the way across, which is represented as the ruling depth, and terminating in 6 fathoms in Worser's Bay. The total distance is barely 39 nautic or about 43J British statute miles. The excellent report of Mr. Balfour is accompanied by a chart accurately delineating the bed of the cable, giving its direction from end to end, with the varying depth, and is illustrated by specimens of the deposits of the bottom as brought up at eacli sounding. The information thus obtained will enable the contractors for the cable to proceed with confidence in the execution of the work, and it is hoped that many months will not be allowed to elapse ere the two Islands are indissolnbly connected by a line of telegraph which will do much to expedite the transaction of business, and promote the prosperity of the whole Colony. .1. Richardson. Postmaster General. REGUL VTJONS AND CONDITIONS UNDKK WHICH TELEGRAMS MAY BE TRANSMITTED ON THE LINE OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH BELONGING TO THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND. Ist. Form of Telegram.—All ordinary telegrams must be written in ink, on the printed forms supplied by the Department for the purpose, and all telegrams must be signed by the sender. Telegraph officers are at liberty to refuse the transmission of any telegram that does not strictly comply with these regulations. 2nd. Charge of Telegrams.—Telegrams will be charged at the tariff-rates published from time to time by authority of the Post-master General. All ordinary tc4egrams must be pre-paid. When the sender of a telegram desires it, he may pre-pay the reply to his telegram, and the messenger will wait not longer than five minutes for such pre-paid reply. Should the sender of a telegram desire to have Ms telegram repeated back to ensure accuracy, such repetition will bo made at half the charge of the original telegram. 3rd. Transmission of Telegrams.—Ordinary telegrams will be transmitted in the order in which they are received from the public. Special Telegrams on the public service, and those admitted as urgent, being telegrams forwarded on pressing emergencies, such as accidents and cases of illness, tako precedence of ordinary telegrams. 4th. Telegrams ts Cypher.—Telegrams may be transmitted in cypher, which will be counted according to the following scale. Separate cyphers count as one word, groups of five cyphers or fractional parts of five cyphers count as one word. Groups exceeding five cyphers aro counted at tho rate of five cyphers to the word, any fractional portion remaining to be counted as a word. Note. —When cyphers aro used, the sender is recommended to pay for tho repetition of the telegram, to ensure accuracy in the transmission. sth. Delivery of Telegrams.—Telegrams will be delivered free of charge within the towns in which the stations are situated, but when telegrams have to be delivered beyond the boundary of such towns, an additional charge will be made, to defray the expenses of porterage or postage as the case may be. 6th. EESPON3IBILITY. —The Government will not be held responsible for errors, omissions, or delays in the transmission of telegrams, nor for the non-transmission of any telegram, nor for delays in the delivery, nor for tho non-delivery of any telegram, from whatever causes the samo may arise. All telegrams will be held strictly confidential.

3

REPORT ON TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT OF NEW ZEALAND.