F.—B

29

Queensland relative to the offer of the Eastern Extension and China Telegraph Company at the Berlin Conference to assist duplication by laying a cable from the Eoper Eiver to Normanton at its own expense, &c, which the Victorian, South Australian, and New South Wales representatives at the Conference recommnded for acceptance, provided Queensland, Tasmania, and, if possible, New Zealand joined in the subsidy to the Port Darwin cable. The- Executive Council of Queensland considered these matters on the 10th September, 1885, and decided to reply that it was considered undesirable to acquiesce in any of the proposals now made. On the 27th January, 1886, Mr. Pender wired an offer to reduce the cable charges by 2s. 3d. per word, making, with South Australia's reduction, 2s. 6d. per word, provided the non-contracting colonies joined in the subsidy and in extending it for six and a quarter years, at the same time repeating the company's offer to lay the Eoper Biver-Normanton cable at a cost of £70,000, to connect Queensland and South Australia under a traffic arrangement with the two colonies. He subsequently, on the 4th of February, 1886, informed the Agents-General that his company would unconditionally reduce the cable rates by Is. 4d. per word from the Ist July, 1886, and make a further reduction of Is. 4d. per word conditionally upon the extension of the term of the subsidy, and upon the non-contributing colonies joining in it. On the 2nd March, 1886, Queensland replied as follows to the proposal: " This Government does not think the proposed reduction in rates by any means adequate, having regard to the length of time for which the subsidy is asked. But, apart from the question of rates, this Government is not disposed to join in any subsidy which will tend to have the effect of discouraging the establishment of another independent line of telegraphic communication between Australia and Europe." On the 22nd June, 1886, the chairman of the cable company offered, as the proposal to extend the subsidy, &c, had been declined, to lower the rates to any figure the colonies might fix, down to limit of out-payment, if the colonies would guarantee the average receipts over the cables for the previous three years. On the 15th July, 1886, he was informed, in reply, that his proposal for a guarantee could not be entertained. At the Sydney Postal Conference in 1888 Queensland again declined to join in the subsidy, or in any guarantee to the existing cable company, on the grounds that it would prevent her from subsidising or joining in the subsidy to any independent line of cable-communication. At the Postal Conference in Adelaide, in May, 1890, Queensland again declined to join in the subsidy or guarantee for the same reason.

No. 14. — Statement showing the Distribution of the Amount to be guaranteed by the Australian Colonies under the Proposed Tariff. (Laid before the Conference by the Hon. D. O'Connor.)

No. is, — Beport on the Probable Besult to the Australasian Colonies of the Adoption of a Universal Bate of Id. per Half-ounce for Inland and Intercolonial Postage. (Laid before the Conference by the Hon. John Gavan Duffy.) Memorandum. —Owing to the limited information available, the probable result to the various Australasian Colonies of the adoption of a universal rate of Id. per half-ounce for inland and intercolonial letters can only be ascertained approximately. Where possible, the value of stamps sold at the inland and intercolonial rates has been compared with the postage on the number of letters stated to have been despatched, and where there has been any considerable difference the mean has been taken. The probable immediate increase has been taken at 30 per cent, as the maximum in all cases. Victoeia. Bates. —Inland, Id. per half-ounce ; intercolonial, 2d. per half-ounce ; present value of intercolonial postage, £25,000 ; probable loss, £8,750. New South Wales. Bates. —City and surburban, Id. per half-ounce ; country or inland, 2d. per half-ounce; intercolonial, 2d. per half-ounce. Inland.— Value of stamps and envelopes, at 2d. ... ... ... £219,531 Less intercolonial ... ... ... £20,000 for duty stamps on receipt ... ... 24,000 44,000 175,531 Less half for reduced rates ... ... ... 87,765 87,765 Add 30 per cent, increase ... ... ... = 26,329 Loss on inland penny postage ... ... ... ... £61,437

Colony. Population, 1888 Basis. Without Increase in Traffic. With With With Increase Increase Increaso of 10 per of 20 per of 25 per Cent. Cent. Cent. With Increase of 33 per Cent. With Increase of 50 per Cent. With Increase of 75 per Cent. With Increaso of 100 per Cent. With Increasi of 124 per Cent, Victoria New South Wales New Zealand ... Queensland Kouth Australia Tasmania West Australia 1,090,869 1,085,740 607,380 387,463 318,308 146,149 42,137 £ s. d. 19,546 14 4 19,454 16 3 10,883 6 7 0,942 15 0 5,703 11 11 2,618 15 4 755 0 7 £ s. ttJ £ s. dJ £ s. d. 17,975 19 710,405 4 1015,619 11 7 17,891 9 31C.328 2 215,546 2 9 10,008 15 3 9,134 4 0 8,696 15 1 6,384 16 10 5,826 18 9 5,547 17 7 5,245 5 4 4,786 18 9 4,557 13 8 2,408 6 7 2,197 17 10 2,092 12 7 094, 7 2 633 13 8 603 6 9 £ s. d. 14,310 14 7 14,243 8 11 7,968 0 1 5,082 19 10 4,175 15 5 1,917 5 7 552 15 7 48,251 0 0 £ s. a. 11,092 8 9 11,037 9 4 6,510 3 7 4,153 0 2 3,411 15 5 1,560 9 10 ■151 12 11 39,423 0 Ol £ s. d. 7,765 6 0 7,728 15 10 4,323 12 1 2,758 2 9 2,205 17 3 1,040 7 1 299 19 0 [20,182 0 0 £ s. a. 3,838 9 2 3,820 8 3 2,137 3 11 1,363 7 5 1,120 0 9 514 5 2 ! 148 5 4 12,942 0 0 £ s. d. 68 10 S 68 8 1C 38 2 11 24 6 E 19 19 1C 9 3 1 2 12 11 231 0 C 3,678,046 05,905 0 0 00,009 0 0 55,313 0 0 52,664 0 0