9

MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HOBART.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1895. The Conference met at 11 a.m., when the under-mentioned gentlemen, representing the Colonies herein named, were present :— New South Wales: The Hon. Joseph Cook, M.P., Postmaster-General. S. H. Lambton, Esq., Deputy Postmaster-General. Victoria: The Hon. John Gavan Duffy, M.L.A., Postmaster-General. James Smibert, Esq., Deputy Postmaster-General. South Australia: The Hon. J A. Cockburn, M.P., Minister of Education, &c. &c. Sir Charles Todd, K.C.M.G., Postmaster-General. Queensland: The Hon. A. J Thynne, M.L.C., Postmaster-General. Jno. M'Donnell, Esq., Under Secretary to the Post and Telegraph Department, and Superintendent of Electric Telegraphs. Western Australia : Sir John Forrest, Premier Tasmania: The Hon. P O Fysh, M.H.A., Treasurer and Postmaster-General. H. V Bayly, Esq., Secretary to the Post Office. New Zealand: The Hon. J G Ward, M.H.R., Treasurer, Postmaster-General, and Electric Telegraph Commissioner Wμ. Gray, Esq., Secretary to the Post and Telegraph Department. The Hon. John Gavan Duffy proposed, and the Hon. Joseph Cook seconded—That the Hon. P 0. Fysh, Postmaster-General of Tasmania, be appointed President of the Conference. The Hon. P 0. Fysh thanked the Conference for the intended honour, but explained that his engagements, especially in connection with the business of the Federal Council of Australasia then sitting, precluded him from accepting the position He moved that the Hon. John Gavan Duffy be elected President of the Conference. The Hon. A. J Thynne seconded the Motion, which was unanimously carried. The Hon. John Gavan Duffy acknowledged the honour, and took the Chair The Hon P O. Fysh moved, and the Hon. J A. Cockburn seconded—That Mr Thomas Cook Just be appointed Secretary to the Conference. Carried. The Conference considered the question of admitting the Press. The Hon. Joseph Cook moved that the representatives of the Press be admitted to the sittings of the Conference. The Hon. A. J Thynne seconded, and the Motion was carried. The Hon. John Joseph Cook, the Hon. John Gavan Duffy,and the Hon. Andrew Joseph Thynne presented their Commissions. Papers, The following Papers were tabled and ordered to be printed : — The Hon. John Gavan Duffy.—Victorian Telegraph Statistics, 1894. The Hon. A. J Thynne.—Telegraph Statistics of the Colony of Queensland, 1894. The Hon. J A. Cockburn.—Papers relating to International Telegraph Traffic and Guarantees.

POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH CONFERENCE, HOBART, 1895.