F.—B

3

No. 8. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Superintendent, Eastern Extension Company, Wakapuaka. Sib,— General Post Office, Wellington, 20th May, 1902. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, again submitting a telegram-form for the approval of the Postmaster-General, and for his permission for the acceptance of the same at all New Zealand telegraph-stations. In reply, I have to inform you that the form has been submitted to the Minister, who, however, desires me to say that he regrets that he is unable to see his way to give the desired permission. I am to add that the same reasons do not seem to apply here as in Great Britain for the use of such a form, seeing that the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company has an office of its own in Great Britain. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. The Superintendent, Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company (Limited), Wakapuaka.

[Eead Nos. 110 et seqq and 170-175.]

CONSTRUCTION; MANAGEMENT; MAINTENANCE; STAFF. ETC.

CABLE.

No. 9. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Premier. Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., Sir,— 12th June, 1901. I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th April last [No. 30, F.-8, 1901], forwarding extract from a letter from the Hon. Audley Coote, dealing with the question of making Honolulu a landing-place for the Pacific cable, which, as instructed by you, I submitted to the Pacific Cable Board for their information. The Chairman of the Board, in acknowledging its receipt, points out that the several Governments interested in the cable decided on the route which the cable should take before the Board came into existence, and the Board has no power to alter their decision. He adds that the- expediency of a connecting-link between Fanning and Honolulu may possibly engage the attention of the Board at some future time. Eeferring to my letter of the 9th May last [No. 65, F.-8, 1901], I beg to state that I have been informed by the Colonial Office that the High Commissioner for Canada has been selected by the Government of Canada to represent that Government at the Conference which it is proposed to hold on the questions arising out of the agreement recently concluded between the New South Wales Government and the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. W. P. Beeves. "

No. 10. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Premier. Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., Sir,— 13th June, 1901. I have the honour to inform you that the monthly meeting of the Pacific Cable Board was held at the offices of the Board, Queen Anne's Gate, on Monday, the 10th instant. All the members of the Board were present except Mr. Mercer. The chief matters of importance which came up for discussion were three. The first related to the appointment of a General Manager, and it was decided that the Chairman should invite applications for the post. He was also instructed to prepare a schedule of questions to be submitted to applicants for all positions on the Board's staff. Opinions were exchanged as to the best place at which to locate the General Manager's headquarters. The Chairman suggested Vancouver, but several other members of the Board thought London would be necessary. The point was deferred for further consideration. A letter had been received from the head of the Imperial Post Office, relating to our request that all unrouted Australasian business should be given by the Post Office to the Pacific cable. To this Sir George Murray had replied, asking what arrangements we proposed to make with regard to the allocation of business amongst the companies controlling the lines between London and Vancouver. To this it was decided to reply that we proposed to divide it as equally as possible between the Commercial Cable Company and the British pool companies.