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Sir WILLIAM MULOCK: Refer to Lord Jersey's statement; it would look as if you had omitted to communicate that information.
The EARL OF JERSEY: Yes, it might be put in another way, and I might ask whether they adhere to Sir Edmund Barton's telegram to the Colonial Office of September, 1903 ?
Mr. PEMBER REEVES: My objection to that is this, that we referred to that when we cabled to them, and after cabling twice or three times, and waiting weeks for an answer, we finally got the offer of the fourth part of a wire as being their interpretation of that, that is why I want something better.
LORD STRATHCONA: Would you say, "as specified in the telegram to Colonial Office of September, 1903"? What you read before, which is fuller, comprehends the whole.
Mr. PEMBER REEVES: I would rather get a distinct answer to our message, without any sort of qualification or suggestion.
The CHAIRMAN: I think we might add this at the end: "The Conference assumes that the Commonwealth Government in the meantime undertakes to grant to the Pacific cable equal facilities with the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company without any qualification."
Mr. PEMBER REEVES: I will assent to that.
The CHAIRMAN: I think "equal facilities" is the widest possible term one can use, and I think it would embrace everything.
Mr. PEMBER REEVES: And the words, "without qualification" are sufficient, I think.
The EARL OF JERSEY: Yes.
The CHAIRMAN: It just recalls it to their attention, I am sure they will not object to it. Well, Gentlemen, I do not think we will go into the question of terminals to-day.
Sir SANDFORD FLEMING :
think, Sir, you have embraced a reply to these words
in your cablegram; I am not quite sure.
The CHAIRMAN: As to the rescission?
Sir SANDFORD FLEMING: Yes; you very kindly proposed to do it whatever the answer may be, in order that we may be certain.
The CHAIRMAN: Yes, it might be inserted, “As part of above arrangement.” Sir SPENCER WALPOLE: The probability is that the only way in which they can secure it would be by getting Lord Jersey to confer with Sir Wolfe Barry, the Chairman of the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company here; I do not see how they are to do it over there.
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The CHAIRMAN: The whole telegram as now agreed to runs as follows:
"Unconditional termination of Agreement at a fixed date asked, in order at earliest possible moment to restore partner-Governments to their original position prior to making the New South Wales Agreement; partners would then be free to determine their policy in concert un- hampered by any agreements independently arrived at (see Barton's letter to Seddon, 1st June, 1903).
C
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As part of the above arrangement, Conference would be glad if necessary arrangements were taken to secure Eastern Extension Telegraph Com- pany's assent to express rescission.
Conference assumes that the Commonwealth in the meantime undertakes to grant the Pacific cable equal facilities with the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company without any qualifications."
Well, we had better await the reply.
ADJOURNED.
45
THE PACIFIC CABLE CONFERENCE.
FOURTH DAY.
Monday, July 17th, 1905.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE ALFRED LYTTELTON, K.C., M.P., the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in the Chair.
PRESENT:
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD JERSEY, G.C.B., G.C.M.G.
THE HONOURABLE SIR WILLIAM MULOCK, K.C.M.G., M.A., K.C. SIR SANDFORD FLEMING, K.C.M.G.
(Members of the Conference.)
Mr. GEORGE W. JOHNSON, C.M.G., Secretary.
ALSO PRESENT :
Sir SPENCER Walpole, K.C.B.
The Right Honourable LORD STRATHCONA AND MOUNT ROYAL, G.C.M.G. The Honourable W. PEMBER Reeves.
Mr. J. W. Cawston.
Mr. W. H. MERCER, C.M.G.
The CHAIRMAN: Lord Jersey sent to Mr. Deakin on the 12th July the telegram which we settled at our last meeting, and he has received the following telegram, dated 14th July :—
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"Referring to your telegram of 6th July, suggest that you should consult Managers of Eastern Telegraph Company on the two points raised which affect them, as their Agent here could only refer them to his home office.— DEAKIN."
Mr. PEMBER REEVES: Then we have had no reply to our last telegram at all. The CHAIRMAN: I suppose it was intended to reply to this last one, but it is not quite certain.
Mr. PEMBER REEVES: It specifically refers to the 6th July.
The CHAIRMAN: You see there is an intermediate telegram :—
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Your telegram of 6th July not understood. Two separate objections appear to be raised. Commonwealth Agreement expressly stated to be in "substitution for New South Wales and other Agreements, and am advised "that construction that its termination will revive New South Wales Agree- "ment untenable; but if Conference desires, we have no objection to endeavour to secure Company's assent to express rescission. Why is unconditional termination asked?-DEAKIN."
That is dated 10th July; then, in reply to that, we sent the explanation of why these matters were desired by us, and in reply we received the telegram I have just read. It is hardly possible, I think, that they cannot have considered the second telegram as well as the first.
LORD STRATHCONA: What is the date of this last telegram?
The CHAIRMAN: The 14th.
Mr. PEMBER REEVES: It is absolutely no reply to our telegram; it entirely ignores the points that we raised.
The EARL OF JERSEY: I should say that it covers the two.