UNIVERSAL PENNY POSTAGE (FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO). [In continuation of Paper F.-7, presented on the 16th December, 1909.]

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1910 Session I, F-07

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1910. NEW ZEALAND

UNIVERSAL PENNY POSTAGE (FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO). [In continuation of Paper F.-7, presented on the 16th December, 1909.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

I N I) E X . No. I'age. Austria : Proposed penny postage with New Zealand .. .. .. .. .. 4-6 2-8 Britieh Protectorate in Siam included in Imperial penny-postage scheme .. .. 9 4 French Oceania: Proposed penny postage with New Zealand .. .. .. .. 10-12 4-5 Postal Progress Convention proposed.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,2 1 United States: Proposed penny postage to New Zealand .. .. .. .. 1, 8. 7, 8 1-4

No. 1. The Secretary-Treasurer, Postal Progress League, New York, to the Hon. the PostmasterGeneral, Wellington. Sir,— The Postal Progress League, New York, 13th March, 1909. We are continuing to press upon our Post Office Department a 2-cent letter-post to New Zealand, and we propose to keep up our work until it is done. 1 enclose our latest publication [not printed]. It may be that it will offer suggestions that will be of use to you. Please tell me what you would think as to the advisability of an International Postal Progress Convention, say, some time the coming fall or in the spring of next year. We expect to get some substantial advance in postal legislation in this country within the next six months. Please be kind enough to send me a copy of your last report. I have, &c, James L. Cowles, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Secretary-Treasurer. [P.O. 09/28(4).]

No. 2. The Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Secretary-Treasures, Postal Progress League, New York. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 3rd July, 1909. I have the honour, by direction, to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your letter of the 13th March last in reference to the work of your League. The Postmaster-General directs me to say that he considers the proposal to hold an International Postal Progress Convention either this year or next year is a very good one. I have pleasure in forwarding under separate cover for your acceptance a copy of the last annual report of this Department. I have, &c, * \V. R. Morris, Acting-Secretary. James L. Cowles, Esq., Secretary-Treasurer, Postal Progress League, New York. i P.O. 09/28(4).]

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No. 3. Mr. A. D. Bayfeild, Westport. to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sir,— Westport, 22nd July, 1909. * * * * * ' * * The part marked might interest you, and, indeed, if opportunity offers, I would be glad if you brought it under the notice of Sir Joseph on his return. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. A. D. Bayfeild. [Acknowledged 26th October, 1909.] [P.O. 09/28(7).]

Enclosure in No. 3. The Manager, Engineering and Mining Journal, New York, to Mr. A. D. Bayfeild, Westport. Sir,— New York, 12th May, 1909. We are in receipt of your esteemed favour printed] The matter of universal penny postage is being agitated in this country right along. At present it is in effect with the British Isles and Germany, and we believe it is only a matter of time until it will be extended to all of the British colonies. We have, &c, THE FjNGINEEKINU AND MINING JOURNAL Mr. A. D. Bayfeild, Westport. ( R - McjLban, Manager).

No. 4. The Acting Consul for Austria-Hungary, Auckland, to the Hon. the Acting - PostmasterGeneral, Wellington. Sir, — Consulate of Austria-Hungary, Auckland, 19th August, 1909. I herewith take the liberty of writing to you in the following matter. Seeing that letters from New Zealand to the United States of America and Italy can be forwarded at the rate of Id. per ounce, I would ask you to kindly let me know if a similar concession could be extended to letters addressed to Austria-Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Upon receipt of a favourable reply I will at once approach the Postal Departments of abovementioned countries re admitting letters from New Zealand at the penny rate. I would esteem it a great favour if you would kindly let me know what should be done in order to bring about the desired end. I have, &c, Cabl Klette, I. and E. Acting Consul for Austria-Hungary. The Hon. the Acting-Postmaster-General, Wellington. [P.O. 09/28(9).]

No. 5. The Hon. the Acting-Postmaster-General., Wellington, to the Acting Consul for AustriaHungary, Auckland. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 26th August, 1909. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19lh instant proposing that letters from New Zealand addressed to Austria-Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina be forwarded at the postage rate of Id. per ounce. I should be very pleased to adopt your proposal; but, unfortunately, when the Hon. the Postmaster-General in 1900 approached the countries of the Postal Union with a request that they should exchange letters at Id. with New Zealand, some of the replies were unfavourable. Not to be disappointed in a scheme which he was convinced was second to hardly any other in the dissemination of international knowledge and good understanding, the Postmaster-General repeated his request to those countries which in the first instance had replied unfavourably. His want of success is announced in the final letters received from Vienna, copies of which I attach. I have, &c, J. G. Findlay, Acting-Postmaster-General. The I. and E. Acting Consul for Austria-Hungary, Auckland. [P.O. 09/28(9).]

Enclosure 1 in No. 5. Copy of Letter from the Minister of Commerce, Vienna, to the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Vienna, Austria, 25th January, 1901. In reply to your letter of the 23rd November last [No. 63, F.-3, 1903], I have the honour to inform you that I regret that I am unable to accept your proposal to introduce the reduced tariff of Id. (L 0 centimes) per single rate for letters in the relations between our two countries. Eeduced charges for letters are only applied in respect of my office in the relations with some neighbouring countries. The adoption of a reduced charge in the international service would entail too great loss, while the introduction of such a measure in the exchange with a single distant country would not meet actual requirements of the traffic. Nor is it possible, in accordance with the principle of reciprocity, to permit of the delivery to addressees, without surcharge, of letters originating in New Zealand and prepaid at the rate of Id. in lieu of 2£d. per half-ounce.

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Enclosure 2 in No. 5. Copy of a Letter from the Imperial War Minister, Vienna, to the Postmastkr-Genekai., Wellington. Vienna, 13th February, 1901. In reply to your esteemed letter of the 23rd November, 1900 [No. 66, F.-3, 1903], the Imperial War Ministry has the honour to inform you that, as a matter of principle, it is unable to accede to the proposals for the introduction of a reduced postage of 10 centimes per 15 grammes in letterexchanges between Bosnia and Herzegovina and New Zealand.

Enclosure 3 in No. 5. Copy of Letter from the Impehial Minister of Commerce, Vienna, to the Post.master-General, Wellington. Vienna, 13th June, 1901. Referring to your letter of the 9th April last [No. 130, F.-3, 1903], I regret to find myself under the necessity to repeat to you that it is impossible for me, because of the reasons which I took the liberty of explaining to you in my letter of the 25th January last, to arrange that letters originating in your .country addressed to Austria, and prepaid at Id. per half-ounce, be delivered to addressees without surcharge. Such a procedure would create, in my opinion, a regrettable exception to the principle of uniformity of the rates of the Universal Postal Union.

Enclosure 4 in No. 5. Copy of Letter from the Imperial War Minister, Vienna, to the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Vienna, 17th June, 1901. In reply to your esteemed letter of the 9th April last [No. 130, F.-3, 1903], the Imperial War Ministry has the honour to intimate that it does not see its way to recede from the position notified in its communication of the 13th February, 1901.

No. 6. The Acting Consul for Austkia-Hungaky, Auckland, to the Hon. the Acting-Postmaster-General, Wellington. Sir, — Consulate of Austria-Hungary, Auckland, 30th August, 1909. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th August, and thank you very much for the information contained therein, as well as for the copies of letters from the Minister of Commerce and the War Minister in Vienna. Since 1901 two of the countries of the Postal Union—viz., the United States of America ami Italy—are admitting letters from New Zealand at the postage-rate of Id. per ounce, whereby exceptions seem to have been-made to the principle of uniformity of the surcharges of the Universal Postal Union. I will endeavour to find out if the Minister of Commerce of my country is more favourably disposed towards the adoption of the proposal at the present time, and should I meet with success I will take the liberty to communicate with you again on the subject. I have, &c, Carl Klette, I. and R. Acting Consul for Austria-Hungary. The Hon. the Acting-Postinaster-General, Wellington. [P.O. 09/28(9).] . M, a, *

No. 7. The Hon. the Postmastek-'General, Wellington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Washington. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 22nd October, 1909. Referring to previous correspondence | No. 17, F.-7, 1909] on the subject of penny postage, I have the honour to remind you that the arrangement between the United States of America and this Dominion is a unilateral one only, letters from New Zealand prepaid Id. being delivered in the United States Of America, while letters from your country to New Zealand are charged at the 5-cent rate. I need scarcely remind you of the extraordinary interest taken by New Zealand in this matter, and of the fact that New Zealand was the first country to propose universal penny postage. Recently arrangements have been completed between the United States of America and Great Britain and between the United States of America and Germany under which letters pass at Id. in either direction. I had hoped that penny postage from your country to New Zealand would have been established simultaneously with that to Great Britain, but at the time you did not see your way to extend the bilateral arrangement to New Zealand.

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I would again urge for your consideration the great desirability of bringing to completion an arrangement which for so many years this Department has urged. The present seems a particularly opportune time for this, as I am now in negotiation with the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited) to perform a service from San Francisco to New Zealand by way of Tahiti, the steamers to run the entire voyage without transhipment. I have, Ac, J. G. Ward, Postmaster-General. The Hon. Frank Hitchcock, Postmaster-General, Washington, D.C. [P.O. 09/28(9).]

No. 8. The Second Assistant Postmaster-General, Washington, to the Hon. the PostmastekGeneral, Wellington. Sik, — Post Office Department, Washington, 6th January, 1910. By direction of the Postmaster-General, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd October last, in which you urge upon this Department the adoption of the 2-cent rate of postage for letters despatched from the United States to New Zealand, so that the arrangement for the exchange of letters between our two countries may be bilateral. In reply, and with reference to previous correspondence on the subject, the PostmasterGeneral desires me to say that, while he appreciates the grounds of your request, he very much regrets that this Department is not at present in a position to concur in your proposal to reduce the letter-postage rate to New Zealand. It is particularly desirable at this time to take no action that will further reduce our postal revenues. :|: ■:: * * * * I have, &c, Joseph Stewart, Second Assistant Postmaster-General. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, New Zealand. [['.0.09/28(91

No. 9. The Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. My Lord, — Downing Street, 18th February, 1910. With reference to previous correspondence respecting the adoption of the Imperial penny-postage scheme, I have the honour to acquaint you, for the information of your Ministers, that the- scheme has now been extended to the States recently transferred by Siam to the protection of His Majesty —namely, Kelantan, Kedab, Perlis, and Trengganu. The Imperial rate of postage was brought into operation in the case of letters from Kelantan on the Bth November, 1909 ; the States of Kedah and Perlis are adopting the scheme forthwith ; and the State of Trengganu will do so as soon as a Post-office is established there. Meanwhile, correspondence may be forwarded to its destination in Trengganu at the sender's risk. As regards the United Kingdom, the reduced rate of postage came into force on the Ist February. I have, etc., Ore we. Governor the Right Honourable Lord Plunket, K.G.M.G., X.C.V.0.. <fee. IP.O. 10/981(2)/

No. 10. The Eight Hon. the Prime Minister to the Consul for France, Auckland. Sir, — Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 10th March, 1910. In 1901 I had the honour to address the Count de Courte on the subject of penny postage between New Zealand and the French settlements in Oceania. The matter was iv due course considered by the French Government, and after some correspondence a reply was received through the diplomatic channel that the Minister of the Colonies was unable to fall in with the proposals of this Government. Recently, as you are aware, New Zealand has established another mail-service to Tahiti, which with the former service gives twenty-two voyages each way per annum at a cost to the Dominion of £8,200. As I am very desirous of seeing penny post established throughout the Pacific, and as since the proposal was first made the rates of postage in France and between France and the French colonies have been materially reduced, it is thought that the objections which at the time could not be overcome may not now be considered to have the same weight. I am requesting His Excellency the Governor to reopen the matter through the usual diplomatic channel. In the meantime, as you have no doubt considered the effect of the close commercial relations which exist between New Zealand and Tahiti, and the liberal subsidies by this Dominion to steamers trading to French Oceania, I venture to think that you may be prepared to support the reopening of the proposal. Should this be the case, I should be obliged if you would bring the matter under notice of your Government. I have, &0., J. G. Ward, Prime Minister. Robt. Boeufv6, Esq., Consul for France, Auckland. ; p.O. 10/991 il).j

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No. 11. The Eight Hon. the Puime Minister to His Excellency the Governor. Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 18th March, 1910. Memorandum for His Excellency the Governor. The Prime Minister presents his compliments, and begs to refer to the Government House record covering a despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies dated the 6th July, 1904 [not printed], on the subject of postage-rates between New Z jaland and French Oceania. The Prime Minister would be glad if the question could be reopened. Since 1904 this Dominion has established another mail route from New Zealand to Tahiti, which with the original service provides twenty-two voyages each way per annum, at a cost to the Dominion of £8,200. In the meantime it is understood that the rates of postage between France and French Oceania have been reduced below Postal Union rates. Considering the proximity of Tahiti to New Zealand, and the close commercial ties which have been fostered by the action of this Government in subsidising the mail-services referred to, it is hoped that the present may be an opportune time for requesting the French Government to reconsider the question of entering into a reciprocal engagement under which letters between New Zealand and French Oceania may be sent at the minimum rate of Id. (10 centimes) instead of 2|d. (25 centimes). J. G. Ward, Prime Minister. [P.O. 10/981(1).] _^_____________^^_

No. 12. The Acting-Consul for Fbance, Auckland, to the Eight Hon. the Prime Minister. Consulat de France en Nouvelle-Zelande et Dependances et aux lies Tonga, Sir,— Auckland, 30th March, 1910. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated the 10th March, which reached this Consulate only on the 24th instant. M. Boeufve left Auckland on the 14th instant for a short holiday in Europe, but I am forwarding to him a copy of your letter so that he may be able to take advantage of his visit in France to put before the authorities in Paris your proposal concerning the penny postage between New Zealand and the French Settlements in the Pacific. I have, &c, Geo. Dunhet, Acting Consul for France. The Eight Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, P. 0., K.C.M.G., Prime Minister, Wellington.

Approximate Coat of Paprr.— Preparation, not given; printiug(l,sso copies), £i 19s.

Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9lo.

Price 6d-\

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