26

'Colonies, on the grounds that facsimiles of the stamps in use might be printed from the electrotypes. The addressees appealed to the Department to deliver the electrotypes, at any rate of the other Colonies. This however was refused, unless they chose to obtain the consent of the various Administrations. They have accordingly applied to the other Colonies offering to place a bar across the electrotypes, so as to deface the stamps, and to give a guarantee bond that the electros will only be used to illustrate catalogues and price lists. We endorse the action of New South Wales, and think it most undesirable that these exact reproductions of our stamps should be allowed to be brought into the Colonies, or used in any form. Under the Postal Acts of all the Colonies it is illegal to imitate any postage stamp. 41. — Patent Envelopes. Applications have been made to the Postal Administrations of the Colonies to allow patent envelopes bearing a postage stamp of the proper value embossed by the Post Office, a portion of which stamp is impressed on the leaflets (containing advertisements) enclosed in the envelopes. These envelopes the applicants propose to sell to the public at half the face value of the stamp, trusting to be recouped by charges for the advertisements on the enclosed leaflets, We see grave objections to acceding to the request, and recommend that the Post Office should refuse to comply with their wishes. No. 42.— Postal Note System., England. The London Office was communicated with, but declined to exchange Postal Notes on account of the great risk. No. 43. — Arbitrary Marks in Newspapers to convey information of a personal nature. We do not advise that the present system of allowing certain marks calling attention to paragraphs be extended. No. 44.— Enclosure of printed Papers in Newspapers. We recommend that the Australasian Convention Rules be adhered to with respect to printed Papers in Newspapers which exclude Placards, Insets, Advertisement Sheets, &c. No. 45.— Payment for Conveyance of Letters in English Mails in transit- — Victoria to Tasmania. Victoria reports that a Bill has been drafted providing for reduction in Sea Transit Rates of Mails to Tasmania. No. 47.— Postal Union (Sea Transit Rates). In September last the great inequality of the rates of payment for the sea transit of mails for Postal Union countries was brought under notice by the Sydney Post Office, special attention being drawn to the case of mails for New Caledonia, as follows :— Under Article 4 of the Vienna Convention, the French Post Office claims from this office for the conveyance of mails by French mail vessels from Sydney to New Caledonia, a distance of 1060 miles, the rates of 15 francs per kilogramme of letters or postcards, and 1 franc per kilogramme of other articles, the same rates as would be charged from Adelaide to Marseilles, a distance of 9240 miles ; whilst on mails from France to New Caledonia, conveyed from Italy to Adelaide by P & O. and Orient vessels, and from Sydney to New Caledonia by non-contract packets, at a cost to this office of 2s. per lb. of letters or postcards, and is. Qd. per cwt. of other articles, this office is allowed for the latter service 1 franc 57 centimes per kilogramme (7d. per lb.) of letters or postcards, and 10 centimes per kilogramme (£d. per lb., or 4s. 3d. per cwt.) of other articles, [n other words, France claims for the conveyance of New South Wales mail matter from Sydney to New Caledonia about ten times the rates allowed to New South Wales for the conveyance of French mails between the same places. In the case of other mails, also, great inequalities exist The stipulations in the Postal Convention were made before the Australasian Colonies joined the Postal Union, and their operation in this way may not. have been foreseen, but it appeared to be imperative that these Colonies should press for a more equitable arrangement. The Adelaide Office was therefore asked by New South Wales (26 September, 1894) to communicate with the other Colonies and obtain their assent to submitting the following proposals to the Berne Bureau (in terms of Article 26 of the Convention) for the consideration of Postal Union countries , viz.—■ That in lieu of Subsection 2° 3§ of Article 4 of the Vienna Principal Convention, the following be substituted ; viz.— " For sea transits : —■ Letters or Postcards. Other articles. Not exceeding 2500 miles 3 francs 20 centimes ■) Between 2500 and 5000 miles 6 „ 40 „/ 5000 and 7500 „ 9 „ 60 „ >.., per „ 7500 and 10,000 I 12 „ 80 " ( klI °g™mme. Over 10,000 miles .. .. 15 „ 1 franc J That subsections 2° and 4° of §4 of Article 4 be suppressed. That the necessary amendments be made in Article 5 §2 subsection 1, Article 17 §4 subsection and Sjs , and §4 of detailed regulations 24 and 25, respectively, in order to bring same into conformity with the changes proposed."