P.—4a.

1879. NEW ZEALAND.

DUPLICATION OF TELEGRAPH CABLE FROM PORT DARWIN (FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO).

Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency. No. 1. Sir M. E. Hicks Beach to His Excellency Sir Hercules Robinson. Sir,— Downing Street, 25th April, 1879. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 10th of April, conveying the assent of your Government to the terms proposed in my telegram of the 7th of April, by which the cable which was about to be used for the duplication of the Australian Telegraph Service could be made available for the immediate construction of a cable to South Africa. The Government of New South Wales, and Mr. Graham Berry on behalf of the Government of Victoria, have also assented to the proposed arrangement, and I enclose for the information of your Government copy of the correspondence which has passed on the subject. I also enclose a copy of a letter from the Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company, on which my telegram of the 7th of April was founded, together with a copy of the reply, in which I have communicated to the Company the decisions of the Australasian Governments in the matter; and I have to request that you will convey to your Government the thanks of Her Majesty's Government for their ready acquiescence in the arrangement proposed by the Company. I have, &c, Governor Sir Hercules Robinson, G.C.M.G., &c. M. E. Hicks Beach.

Enclosure 1 in No. 1. The Officer Administering the Government of New South Wales to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. (Telegram.) loth April, 1879. This Government accedes to request for use of cable on conditions stated; but colonies' contract should be signed forthwith. Alfred Stephen.

Enclosure 2 in No. 1. The Colonial Office to the Hon. Graham Berry. Sir, — Downing Street, 7th April, 1879. In the course of the negotiations which have recently taken place between Her Majesty's Government and Mr. Pender, acting on behalf of the Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company, for the laying of a submarine cable between Aden and Natal, Mr. Pender solicited the good offices of Her Majesty's Government in obtaining the concession of the Governments of Victoria and New South "Wales to the postponement of the duplication of the Australian cable for a short period ; and I am now directed by Sir Michael Hicks Beach to enclose, for your information, a copy of a letter which Sir J. Anderson has addressed to this department on the subject. Her Majesty's Government would be much obliged if the Government of Victoria would assist them by making such arrangements with the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company as would permit of the use for the South African line of the cable now ready; and he trusts that you may feel yourself able to consent, on the part of your Government, to what is proposed. I am to add that a similar request has been addressed by telegraph to the Governments of New South Wales and New Zealand. I have, &c., The Hon. Graham Berry. R. G. W. Herbert.