1.—5

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January, 1880, be as follows: —The Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin papers, daily morning and evening, £500. In Grahamstown, Napier, Wanganui, Timaru, Oamaru, and Invercargill, £300. In other towns in the colony, morning and evening papers, £100. Other papers at the option of the committee. At a meeting of the committee of the United Press Association held in Christchureh the 12th February, the special-wire rent was apportioned between the various papers in the following proportions : —The Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin. dailies, £240 each; the New Zealand Times, Wellington, £195 ; the smaller papers on the main line, £175 each ; the Blenheim paper, £100 ; and the West Coast papers, £105 each, subject to further revision from time to time so as to bring up the total contributions to the amount of rent paid. The terms of subscription for the various papers towards general expenses vary from £66 per annum to £10 per annum. At the meeting on the 14th February in Christchurch a resolution was passed that it was desirable the Association should be registered as a private limited joint-stock company, and the chairman was authorized to take the necessary step's towards carrying this resolution into effect. In a contract entered into at this time with Mr. H. Collins on behalf of Eeuter's Telegram Company (Limited), a clause was inserted that all papers should be entitled to join the United Press Association on fair and reasonable terms. E. T. Gillon, Manager.

No. 4. —United Peess Association. Sib,— Wellington, 14th July, 1880. Yesterday the Committee were good enough to have read for my information certain evidence given by telegraph by Mr. Wilkinson, of Grahatnstown, and I was thereby enabled to explain certain matters in his statement which otherwise might have prejudiced the interests of this Association. I understand that the Committee have taken other evidence bearing on the points raised in the application of the committee of this Association, through Mr. Horton, for a new special-wire lease; and I would respectfully ask you to permit me to peruse the evidence so given, in order that I may be enabled to afford the Committee such further information or explanations as possibly adverse statements by other witnesses may require from me to enable the Committee to fairly judge on the merits of the application now before it. I have, &c, The Chairman, Press Telegrams Committee. E. T. Gillon.

No. 5. Slk— Times Office, Christchurch, 17th July, 1880. Mr. Gillon has informed me that he has been requested by your Committee to ask upon what terms newspapers which may hereafter be established will be admitted into the United Press Association to share in any concessions which may be granted to it by the Government, and whether the present fee for admittance cannot be reduced. In reply to these questions, I beg to say the committee of the Association have no wish, in asking for a fresh special-wire lease, to secure any monopoly, or to exclude any papers which may hereafter be established from participating in any privileges which may thus be granted. As the papers at present forming the Press Association have been at great trouble and expense informing and consolidating the business, they consider it only fair that candidates for admission into the Association should pay a reasonable entrance-fee. I beg now to submit the following scale to your Committee, with the remark that, though, from want of time for consultation, I have not yet obtained the consent of the other members of committee to the reduced scale, I have reason to think the majority will agree with it. Admittance Fees. For daily morning or evening papers at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, or Dunedin (three hundred pounds) ... ... ... ... £300 0 0 Daily morning or evening papers in any other towns of New Zealand (one hundred and fifty pounds) ... ... ... ... ... £150 0 0 Papers (not daily) to be charged less in proportion. la any arrangement to be made with the Government, the committee of the Association would be willing to stipulate that all or any papers hereafter established in any of the towns included in the special-wire service shall be entitled to claim admission by right to the Association on equal terms with existing members, on payment of the entrance-fee as above. Trusting that the Telegraph Committee will approve of these proposals, I have, &c, ¥m. Eeeves, Chairman, Telegraph Committee. Chairman Committee, United Press Association.

No. 6. —United Press Association. Sib,— Wellington 3rd August, 1880. Eeferring to the evidence I gave before the Committee on the 13th ult., I desire to point out that the report is not by any means a full and complete one. It is fairly correct now as far it goes, but a good deal of what took place is omitted. I have, &c, The Chairman, Press Telegrams Committee. E. T. Giilon, Manager.

APPENDIX B. SUGGESTIONS EROM NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS AS TO WORKING OP SPECIAL-WIRE SYSTEM. No. 7.—Picton " Press." Picton, 9th July, 1880. "Would suggest advisability of permitting Press to receive telegrams any time during day at present evening rates. Peopeietob op " Press," A. T. Maginnity, Wellington. Picton,