XXIV

F.—l

The cable between Honolulu and the Philippine!,, ma Midway Island and which has been laid by the Commercial Pacific Cable Company, was opened for traffic on £***£. July la£ This gi V e B San Francisco direct cable communication with China, Japan, and other points in the BaSt The Pacific Cable Board, by arrangement with the German Transatlantic Cable Company, has been able to reduce the rate to Germany to 3s. a word. It is hoped that a similar reduction may be possible later on to other places in Europe. CABLE BUSINESS. The number and value of cable messages forwarded from New Zealand during 1903 are shown in the following statement. (The Pacific cable was opened for tramc-New Zealand to Southport and Suva 23rd%ril, 1902 ; New Zealand to Vancouver, Bth December following.)

Viâ Pacific.

The colony's outward international and Australian cable business, not including Press, for the years 1902 and 1903>as as follows :— International. Number of Value. Messages. £ s. d. ■ IOA o ... 20,826 35,879 8 7 }££ •- ... ... 14,893 31,766 15 6 iyuz - ■ ■ • • *"■ Inc. 5,933* Inc. 4,112 13 It ♦ 39-83 per cent. t 12-95 per cent. Australia. Number of Value. Messages. £ s - d--IQ no 68,120 13,978 1 11 J903 ... ••• ••• 61964 14;375 16 10 Inc. 6,156* Dec. 397 14 11+ • 9-93 per cent, t 2-76 per cent.

irdinary. Press. Destination. Number of Messages. Value. Number of Messages. Value. International Australia... .. 16,438 .. 56,157 £ s. a. 28,040 7 1 11,472 12 1 40 285 £ s. d. 76 16 8 220 4 0 Total for 1903 72,595 39,512 19 2 325 297 0 8 Total for 1902 42,358 19,053 11 11 367 369 18 3 Via Extension. Destination. Ordinary. Number of Va , ue ! Number of Messages. j Messages. £ s. d. 4,388 7,839 1 6 167 11,963 2,505 9 10 1,103 Press. Value. International Australia ... £ s. d. 338 13 0 599 17 5 Total for 1903 16,351 10,344 11 4 1,270 938 10 5 Total for 1902 34,499 27,089 0 5 1,463 1,402 10 1