¥.— 8

48

and it is suggested that the aggregate revenue from these land or terminal rates shall be pooled and apportioned as under : — South Australia ... ... ... ... ... 67-59 per cent. Western Australia ... ... ... 19-39 „ Victoria ... ... ... ... ... ... 3-24 New South Wales ... ... ... .... 8-37 Queensland ... ... ... ... ... ... 0-89 „ Tasmania ... ... ... ... ... ... 0-08 „ Tasmanian cable ... ... ... ... ... 0-44 „ Total ... ... ... ... ... 100-00 per cent. The average yearly traffic, taking the last two years only, was : — Ordinary messages ... ... ... ... ... 1,862,412 words. Government messages... ... ... ... ... 48,608 „ Press messages ... ... ... ... ... 141,998 „ Total ... ... ... ... ... 2,053,018 words. The colonial receipts under existing transit and terminal rates, taking the average of the last two years, were as follows :— Total for Two Years, , ~ 1897 and 1898. Average per Year. £ s. d. £ s. d. South Australia ... ... ... 89,582 0 0 44,791 0 0 Victoria ... ... ... ... 4,336 0 0 2,168 0 0 Tasmania and cade ... ... ... 770 0 0 385 0 0 New South Wales ... ... ... 11,084 0 0 5,542 0 0 New Zealand ... ... ... 8,004 0 0 4,002 0 0 Queensland... ... ... ... 1,184 0 0 592 0 0 Western Australia ... .. ... 26,324 0 0 13,162 0 0 Total ... ... ... £141,284 0 0 £70,642 0 0 Total ... ... ... ... ... ... 70,642 0 0 Excluding New Zealand ... ... ... ... 4,002 0 0 Australian receipts ... ... ... ... ... £66,640 0 0 Under pooling arrangements, adopting the percentage apportionment suggested by the Eastern Extension Company, the revenue to each colony would have been— £ s. d. South Australia ... ... 67-59 per cent. ... 45,042 0 0 Victoria ... ... ... 3-24 „ ... 2,159 0 0 Tasmania ... ... ... 0-08 „ ... 53 0 0 Tasmanian cable .. ... 0-44 „ ... 293 0 0 New South Wales ... ... 8-37 „ ... 5,578 0 0 Queensland ... ... ... 0-89 „ ... 593 0 0 West Australia ... ... ... 19-39 „ ... 12,922 0 0 Total ... ... 100-00 per cent. ... £66,640 0 0 nearly corresponding in each case with the actual revenue of the several colonies under their existing charges. With, however, a common Australian terminal rate of 6d. on ordinary messages, sd. on Government messages, and 4d. on Press messages the aggregate revenue of the colonies, taking the business of the last two years, would, of course, be much less, thus : — No. of Words. £ s. d. Ordinary messages ... - ... 1,862,412 at 6d. ... 46,560 6 0 Government messages ... ... 48,608 at sd. ... 1,012 13 4 Press messages ... ... 141,998 at 4d. ... 2,366 12 8 Total ... ... 2,053,018 ... £49,939 12 0 instead of £66,640, and apportioning the receipts on the percentage basis proposed the receipts of each colony would have been— £ s. d. South Australia ... ... 67-59 per cent. ... 33,754 0 0 Victoria ... ... ... 3-24 „ ... 1,618 0 0 Tasmania 0-08 „ ..'.. 40 0 0 Tasmanian cable ... ... 0-44 „ ... 220 0 0 New South Wales ... ... 8-37 „ ... 4,180 0 0 Queensland ... ... ... 0-89 „ ... 444 0 0 West Australia ... ... 19-39 „ ... 9,684 0 0 , • Total ... ... 100-00 per cent. ... £49,940 0 0 In the case of South Australia the loss of revenue would be about £11,000. Failing the acceptance of this percentage division, the company would still adhere to the uniform rates of 45., 35., and Is. 6d. on ordinary, Government, and Press messages respectively, and pay the colonies