§ MR. HOGAN (Tipperary, Mid)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is in a position to report any effective progress in the negotiations for the construction of the Pacific cable from Canada to Australia or of the proposed alternative cable from South Africa to Australia.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINAn arrangement has been arrived at with the colonies interested in the Pacific cable that the elaboration of the scheme and the management of any line that may be decided on should been trusted to a board of eight members sitting in London. Her Majesty's Government are to be represented by three members, including the chairman, Canada by two members, and Australia and New Zealand by three. The Dominion Government have appointed the Earl of Aberdeen and Lord Strathcona to represent them, and the Australian Colonies and New Zealand have nominated the Agents-General for New South Wales, Victoria, and New Zealand as their representatives. I am in communication with the Chancellor of the Ex- 237 chequer and the Postmaster-General as to the nomination of the representatives of Her Majesty's Government, and I hope that the Board will be constituted and in a position to meet next month when the Agents-General for Victoria and New Zealand who are now in the United States have returned. I am informed that the Eastern and Eastern Extension Telegraph Companies have proposed to lay a cable from South Africa to South Australia, but I have not learnt that the Colonies have yet come to any decision on this proposal.