F.—3.

Sess. 11.—1887. NEW ZEALAND.

TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND AUSTRALASIAN COLONIES VIÂ PACIFIC CABLE, VANCOUVER ISLAND, CANADIAN LAND LINE ROUTE, AND ATLANTIC CABLE (FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO). [In Continuation of F.-3, Sess. I., 1887.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. The Seceetaey, Pacific Telegraph Company, Limited, to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, New Zealand. Pacific Telegraph Company, Limited, 34, Clements Lane, Sic,— . London, E.C., 13th May, 1887. By order of my directors I have the honour to submit for your consideration a proposal on behalf of this company to lay a cable from Vancouver Island to Australia. The proposal is in the amended form in which it was laid before the Colonial Conference on the 6th May, 1887. The directors hope that the very moderate nature of the company's proposal, combined with the exceptional strategic and commercial advantages of the Pacific route, will insure the favourable consideration of your Government. I am, &c, Haeold Pinch Hatton, The Postmaster-General, New Zealand. Secretary.

Enclosure in No. 1. The Seceetaey, Pacific Telegraph Company, Limited, to the Chaieman of the Colonial Conpeeence, London. Pacific Telegraph Company, Limited, 34, Clements Lane, Sic,— London, E.C., 3rd May, 1887. Eeferring to the proposal submitted by the Pacific Telegraph Company for the consideration of the Colonial Conference on the 20th April, 1887, I am now instructed by the directors of the company to submit, as an amended proposal, the following : — (1.) The Pacific Telegraph Company shall lay a line of cable from Vancouver Island to Australia, touching at Hawaii, Fanning Island, Samoa, Eiji, and New Zealand. (2.) The Governments of Great Britain, of Canada, and of the Australasian Colonies shall guarantee to the Pacific Telegraph Company Government traffic to the amount of £75,000 per annum, in such proportions as may be mutually agreed upon by the said Governments. (3.) The above guarantee shall date from the completion of telegraphic communication between Canada and Australasia by the company, and shall continue in force for twentyfive years from that date, subject to the following conditions :— (4.) In the event of telegraphic communication being interrupted, thirty-five days shall be allowed to the company for repairs ; if at the expiration of thirty-five days telegraphic communication shall continue to be interrupted, then the guarantee shall be suspended from that date until telegraphic communication be re-established : (5.) The rate per word payable by the Governments shall be the current, rate charged by the company to the general public ; but such rate shall never exceed 4s. per word for the transmission of messages from England to Australasia.