F.—B

14

No. 26. The Hon. the Acting Postmasikk-Cknekai.. Wellington, to the Hon. the Postmastbr-Gknkbal, Melbourne. Sir,— Wellington. 6th July, 1909. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the I lth May last proposing the introduction of a system of delayed telegrams between the Commonwealth of Australia and the United Kingdom at rates lower than the present ones. The matter will receive the consideration of the New Zealand Government. I have, &c. John G. Findlay, Acting Postmaster-General The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Melbourne. [P.C. Rates, 09/22.] REDUCTION OF RATE FOR PRESS CABLE MESSAGES. No. 27. The Right lion, the Prime Minister to the High Commissioner. Sir, — Prime Minister's Office, Wellington. Ist May. 1908. 1 have the honour to refer to your letter of the 21st February last [not printed], transmitting copy of correspondence between the Pacific Cable Board and the Commercial Cable and Anglo-American Telegraph Companies on the subject of the tariff for Press messages between Australasia and the United Kingdom, " via Pacific." I hope that the representations made by the Pacific Cable Board will result in the cable companies agreeing to a reduction in the rates. The Government of this Dominion is prepared to agree to its share of the rate of Is. for each word of messages between New Zealand and the United Kingdom being reduced from Id. to Jd. I would suggest that the rate could be reduced from Is. to 7d. by readjusting the shares as shown hereunder :— Present Shares. Suggested Shores. Atlantic companies .. .. .. .. .. sd. 3Jd. Canadian Pacific Railway .. .. .. Id. Id. Pacific cable .. .. . . .. .. .. sd. 2d. New Zealand .. .. .. Id. Jd. Is. 7d. 1 have, &c, J. G. Ward, Prime Minister. The Hon. W. P. Reeves, High Commissioner for New Zealand, London. [P.G Press, 08/14.] No. 28. The High Commissioner to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister. Sir, — • Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London, S.W., 24th July, 1908. I duly received your letter of the Ist May last, relating to the desired reduction in the tariff for Press messages between Australasia and the United Kingdom. I at once communicated the contents of the letter to the Chairman of the Pacific Cable Board, who duly brought it before the meeting on the 21st instant. 1 have, however, now to enclose herein copies of letters received by the Board from the Commercial Cable and the Anglo-American Telegraph Companies, replying to the Chairman's letter of the 27th January last [not printed], and regretting that they do not see their way to reduce their existing rates. I have, &c, The Right Hon. the Prime Minister, Wellington, New Zealand. W. P. Reeves. [P.C. Press, 08/31.] Enclosure No. 1 in No. 28. The \ ii'K-President and General Manager, Commercial Cable Company, New York, to the Chairman, Pacific Cable Board, London. The Commercial Cable Company, 253 Broadway, New York, 17th February, 1908. Sir — Your letter of 27th January [rrot printed] was received here on 6th February, and has been very carefully considered. We sympathize with the desire of Australia and New Zealand for a more liberal supply of public news, and it has been the policy of this company to make its Press rate as low as possible, to favour the transmission of ample Press messages.