F.—3a.

NOTICES OF MOTION.

FRIDAY, 10th MAY 1878

Notices op Motion :— Mr. Burns : To move, That in the opinion of this Conference provision should be made as early as practicable for ensuring greater certainty of telegraphic communication betwreen Great Britain and the Australian Colonies and New Zealand, by the duplication where necessary of the existing lines. Mr. Mem : To move— (1.) That in the interest of all the Australasian Colonies it is essential that there should be a complete system of telegraphic communication between British India and the Continent of Australia, unconnected with the existing lines of the Eastern Extension Company, and under the control of an independent company or proprietary. (2.) That the second system of communication should be connected with the capitals of the several Australian Colonies by means of land lines entirely independent of the lines connecting Port Darwin with Adelaide. (3.) That on the completion of the second system of telegraphic communication with British India there should be paid to the Eastern Extension Company, throughout the period during which a subsidy shall be paid to the proprietors of such second system, a subsidy equal to per centum of the original capital cost of the construction of such company's present lines of cable between Singapore and Batavia, and Banjoewangie and Port Darwin, if they shall throughout such period maintain in effective working order a separate line of telegraphic communication between Port Darwin and British India. (4.) That all subsidies which may be required for the construction or maintenance of ocean cables between British India and Australia should be paid and borne by the several Australian Colonies in such proportions as may be mutually determined. Sir James Wilson : To move : — (1.) That the cables connecting New South Wales with New Zealand, Tasmania with Victoria, and Port Darwdn with Singapore, shall be considered as ocean lines, forming one common system of telegraphic communication between the Australasian Colonies and Europe. (2.) That the cost of the subsidies now paid, or to be paid, towards those cables be borne by the colonies benefiting by the same rateably in proportion to their respective populations. (3.) That South Australia bo exempt from contribution to the line between Port Darwin and Singapore, in consideration of her large outlay in erecting and maintaining the trans-continental line of telegraph. (4.) That, in the first instance, the population of the several colonies, as officially estimated on the 31st December 1876, shall be the basis of the proportionate allotment of cost to each. (5.) That such contributions shall be ro-adjusted on the basis of the populations of the several colonies as shown by the next general census, and thereafter once in every five years. (6.) That New Zealand bo invited to concur in the foregoing resolutions. (7.) That in case New Zealand declines to adopt the principle laid down in Eesolution No. 1, the other Australasian Colonies represented at this Conference consent to recognise the New Zealand cable as an ocean line under the meaning of that resolution to the extent of the contribution now paid towards its maintenance by New South Wales, viz., £2,500. (8.) That in consideration of the advantage afforded to the Australasian Colonies by the maintenance by Queensland of a duplicate land line of telegraph terminating at Normantown, the colonies represented at this Conference consent to recognise any cable that may be laid across the Gulf of Carpentaria, of say 360 miles in length, between Normantown and Roper's River, as an ocean line within the meaning of Resolution 1. (9.) That in any arrangement entered into with the Eastern Telegraph Extension Company for subsidizing a duplicate cable provision should be made for the maintenance by such company during the subsistence of the contract of both the old and the new lines in full working order. (10.) That the Governments of New South Wales and Victoria be empowered to enter into an agreement and contract with the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company for a second cable from Singapore direct to Banjoewangie, avoiding tho Java land lines, and thence direct to Port Darwin, for an annual subsidy of not exceeding £32,400 for a period of years. Mr. Mem : To move, That the representatives of each colony shall undertake to recommend to the Government and to the Parliament of the colony which they represent the adoption of measures to carry out all the resolutions to which they may have given their assent. Sir J. M. Wilson: To move, That it shall bo competent for any member of the Conference to submit for discussion any question of intercolonial interest other than that of telegraphic communication with Europe. Contingent Notices of Motion : — Mr, Burns : To call the attention of the Conference, at its next sitting, or as soon thereafter as may be convenient, to the following subjects :—- -(1.) The early termination, of the agreement arrived at in the year 1873 between the Imperial Government and the Governments of Australia and New Zealand in reference to tho Ocean Mail Services. (2.) Tho Berne Postal Convention. < (3.) The prohibition against the importation of English and other stock.

14