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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TINC.O. 885

6

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

1 December 1896.]

Mr. Gillies-continued.

Mr. R. K. GRAY,

2677. Would that be the number of words that could be sent through the cable every minute? The non-paying is about 13 per cent.; that is what it amounts to. There will be 71 letters in a ten-word message, of which 10 to 11 do not pay.

Well, that is the whole statement I can make; of course it can be worked out. The non-paying portion, you see, is about 11 out of 71.

Mr. Jones.

2678. You have had experience in laying and working cables?—Yes, I have laid them; I have tested them, and I have worked them. I have had 20 years' experience in working talegraphs.

2679. You are aware the Committee are met to consider the practicability of laying

a cable from Vancouver to Fanning Island ?—Yes.

}

Mr. Jones continued.

[Continued.

2680. Do you consider that practicable?— Quite.

2681. And would you recommend that a sur- vey should precede the laying of the cable?— I certainly think it is better.

2682. You think it is better ?-That is to say the survey could be carried on during the work.

2683. During the work-As part of the work.

2684. Can you give the Committee any idea what number of letters you think could be sent through that cable per minute?-Number of letters sent through; well, 60; on our tender 61, perhaps 62.

2685. That is from Vancouver to Fanning? -From Vancouver to Fauning.

The Witness withdrew.

Adjourned till To-morrow, at Half-past Eleven.

ELEVENTH DAY.

WEDNESDAY, 2ND DECEMBER, 1896.

PRESENT:

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF SELBORNE, CHAIRMAN, Presiding.

The Hon. Sir DONALD SMITH, G.C.M.G.

The Hon. Sir SAUL SAMUEL, K.C.M,G,,V,B, The Hon. D. GILLIES.

The Hon. A. G. JONES, P.C. Mr. G. H. MURRAY, C.B.

Mr. W. H. MERCER, Secretary,

Mr. THOMAS PLATFORD, called in; and Examined.

Chairman.

2686. MR. PLAYFORD, I think you are Agent General for South Australia ?—Yes.

2687. Would you be kind enough to tell the Committee the exact position of your Govern- ment towards this proposal for a Pacific cable; I know that there are circumstances which are peculiar to your colony-There are; but per- haps I may be allowed to start with a few propo- sitions first which will lend up to them.

2688. In your own way, Mr. Playford.- Which will give the Committee, at all events, my own individual views on the subject, and then I can state the peculiar position of my colony and the views of my own Government. I do not, in the first place, bind my Government to the views that I express; but, having to attend the Ottawa Conference, at which this question of the l'acific cable happened to be discussed, of course I looked up the question as far as I was able to, and made myself acquainted with all the facts and formed my own individual opinions as to the policy of the line in question. In considering whether a cable should be laid across the ocean, one of the first questions, I think, that would naturally suggest itself to you would be whether the present service is an ade- quate one and one that meets all requirements. I think we can answer that question by saying that, in the first place, it connects Australia and New Zealand with all parts of the world. Inter- ruptions are exceedingly few. The line, I think, has been interrupted, but very seldom eince the duplication and the triplication of the cable. The line, so far as Australia is concerned, is duplicated across the Continent. One through South Australia to Port Darwin meeting the cable from Banjuwangi, and another through Western Australia meeting the cable which runs from Banjuwangi to Roebuck Bay, and the other lines between there and Europe, are all either duplicated or triplicated.

2689. Have those two land lines ever been broken at the same time?-Not that I am aware

Chairman-continued.

of. Then comes the next question, whether the charges that are levied are moderate charges, and I think it must be admitted that the charges that are levied on the line are moderate. They are 4s. 9d, a word, and the charges to India, which is only a little more than one halfway, are some 4. a word. The only part of the world that I know of that has any cause of complaint is Canada and the United States of America, because there, in addition to the 4. 9d. a word, which is the charge from Europe, they have to pay, of course, the charges for the service across the Atlantic, and therefore, I suppose, in round numbers they have to pay 18. a word more.

It

is only fair, however, to say that if the cable is laid across the Pacific, it will be more for the advantage of America in reducing the charges between America and Australia, than it will be to Europe. The amount of traffic from America is very small, amounting to about one-fifth of the whole traffic, and advantage might be taken of a reduction of the rates so as to place America on the same footing as Europe.

2690. Do you think that there is any likeli- hood of a development of traffic from America?

Very little, because what we require from America in Australia is very small; what they can supply us with is a little tinned fish, a few agricultural implements, a little wood, and a few things of that sort, and Australia itself has very little to supply to America because America only requires a little wool and very little else from Australia, so that the traffic between America and Australasia at the present time is very

small.

2691. Do not the United States and Canada both require a great deal of wool? They re- quire a certain quantity, but as a rule, I think, they get it rid Europe. The direct shipments of wool, I think, are exceedingly small, especially to Valparaiso, because it is not required there; it is required, of course, at the other end.

2692. Caunot you imagine that a trade in

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