Story: Colonial and provincial government

First telegram sent on the Cook Strait cable

First telegram sent on the Cook Strait cable

In 1866 an underwater cable linked the North Island with the South Island. The first telegram sent on it, on 26 August, was from the governor in Wellington, congratulating the superintendent and people of Canterbury. The telegraph and cable network helped unify the colony and diminish the separateness of the provinces from each other.

G Y
Chch
Wellington!!!

Superintendant of
Chch

The Governor of New Zealand congratulates the Superintendent and inhabitants of the Province of Canterbury on the establishment of the telegraphic communication between the two islands of N. Zealand

Governor

Using this item

Christchurch Regional Office, Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
Reference: CH287, CP81, ICPS 1291/1866

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga (Christchurch Regional Office) must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page:

Malcolm McKinnon, 'Colonial and provincial government - War, debt and the provinces, 1863 to 1870', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/document/35486/first-telegram-sent-on-the-cook-strait-cable (accessed 2 May 2024)

Story by Malcolm McKinnon, published 20 Jun 2012, reviewed & revised 6 Oct 2023