THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 179

To make the necessary provision for the carriage of the Australian mails via Suez as far as Galle,
in conjunction with the China and Japan service.
The departure of the mails from Southampton and Sydney to be fixed respectively for the 1st and
15th of every month, making the conjoint services a fortnightly communication. The Colonies to
contribute to each line pro rata on the system now in force on the Suez line; each Colony and England
keeping its respective collections.
The Colonies to call for tenders for the performance of the service once a month, from Galle to
Sydney, calling at King George's Sound and Melbourne, with a branch service to Adelaide, New
Zealand, and Brisbane.

SECOND PROPOSITION.
The Imperial Government to bear the expense of delivery of the Australian mails at Singapore,
keeping its collections.
The Colonies to call for tenders for a monthly service from Singapore via Batavia and King
George's Sound (known as the Western Passage) to Sydney, delivering mails at Adelaide and Mel-
bourne; returning via Brisbane and Torres Straits to Singapore.
Also, for a monthly service alternating with the foregoing from Singapore via Batavia and Torres
Straits to Melbourne, delivering mails at Brisbane and Sydney, returning via Adelaide and King
George's Sound to Batavia and Singapore; branch mails to New Zealand and Tasmania.
Also, for an Intercolonial service to leave Sydney on the arrival of the outward mail with the mail
for Brisbane; and on the other line, leaving Melbourne with the mail for Adelaide. The Intercolonial
boat to leave Adelaide six days after the arrival of the outward mail, with the return mail, calling at
Melbourne, and thence to Sydney, arriving there in time for the despatch of the departing mail via
Torres Straits; and, in the alternating passage, leaving Brisbane in the same manner, calling at Sydney
en route for Melbourne, for the steamer returning by the Western route.
The arrivals of each line-steamer to be fortnightly (say 1st and 15th); the departure, 5th and 22nd
of the month.
The expense to be distributed pro rata on the Suez system, and each Colony to retain its own
collections.
In the event of this plan being adopted, it will be necessary to fix some plan of contribution from
the Colonies which are not at present contributing to the Panama line, to be apportioned by the extent
to which they use it.

VICTORIA.

1. The Representatives of Victoria in the Postal Conference assembled at Melbourne, are of
   opinion that a Monthly Mail Service by way of Suez and King George's Sound is essential for the
   interests of Victoria and the other Western Colonies.

2. That it is expedient that a Fortnightly Service between England and Australia be established.

3. That this service could be most efficiently and cheaply performed by way of Suez, but that to
   secure the collateral advantages to be obtained by the adoption of a second route for the fortnightly
   service, and to enable the Australasian Colonies to act together in the matter of Postal communication,
   they are prepared to entertain any proposal which will secure those advantages without entailing upon
   the Western Colonies a disproportionate cost.

4. That if a general scheme be adopted by the Colonies in common, it is desirable that the plan of
   direct communication by way of the Cape of Good Hope, should be considered by the Conference.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

WE support the Suez route, believing it to be the best for the interests of the Australian Colonies
generally. The ocean steamers to call at a port in South Australia.

Nevertheless, for the purpose of securing the advantages that would follow united action by the
various Colonies, we would join in a more general or federal scheme, on a just estimate of the resources
and geographical position of South Australia.

Melbourne, 9th March, 1867.
JAS. P. BOUCAUT,
WALTER DUFFIELD.

RESOLUTIONS TO BE MOVED BY MR. PARKES.

1. That any scheme of ocean postal communication agreed upon by this Conference should, in
   providing for the general convenience, be so adapted to special interests as to secure the concurrence
   and support of all associated Colonies.

2. That any such scheme will be valuable to each of the Colonies in proportion to the number of
   points of commercial intercourse which it shall be made to include, in combination with expedition and
   regularity of conveyance between Great Britain and Australia.

3. That the facilities for the transmission of merchandise and for passenger traffic ought not to
   be overlooked as collateral advantages.

4. That the contributions of the associated Colonies to the cost of any such general scheme should
   be proportioned, not so much by calculations of the actual population or the post office correspondence
   as on the basis of a compromise of interests and preferences in view of a common federal object.

5. That, considering our political connexion as dependencies of the Crown, and the interest of
   England as a commercial nation in the trade and progress of the Colonies, one-half of the cost of any
   such aggregate scheme ought in justice to be borne by the Imperial Government.