P.—3.

[Extract from Parliamentary Debates, No. 34, of 12th October, 1900, page 162.] House of Representatives. Imperial Penny Postage. Mr. Ward (Postmaster-General) read the following cablegram from the Agent-General " Assured by the Imperial Post Office that on Ist January postage will be reduced to one penny the half-ounce each way between New Zealand and all parts of the British Empire included in penny scheme. Steps will be taken to notify the change to all British possessions concerned, as well as Postal Union, in due time.—London, 11th October, 1900."

No. 59. The Secretary, General Post Office, London, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Sir,— General Post Office, London, 12th October, 1900. I am directed by the Postmaster-General to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 30th August, confirming your previous announcements by telegraph of the desire of the New Zealand Government to establish penny letter-postage with all parts of the world on the Ist January next. As regards that part of the proposal which relates to the adhesion of New Zealand to the scheme for penny postage within the British Empire, I am to state that the Postmaster-General lost no time in laying the matter favourably before Her Majesty's Government, which, he is glad to inform you, has now agreed to the institution of penny postage between the United Kingdom and New Zealand as from the Ist January next. I am to explain that the inclusion of any British possession in the scheme automatically establishes penny postage between that possession and all others which are parties to the scheme. It was laid down as an essential principle of the measure, on its inception in 1898, that it should be applicable to the reciprocal relations between any two of the postal administrations participating in it. Consequently it will suffice for the Postmaster-General to notify the Post Offices of the British possessions concerned (of which a schedule is attached) in order to secure the adoption of penny postage between each of them and New Zealand, in both directions, on the Ist January next; and this he will proceed to do in proper course. He will at the same time notify the change to the Postal Union generally, through the International Bureau. It is, of course, understood that the change will be restricted to the rate of postage on letters. As regards your desire to establish a penny letter-postage with foreign countries, more particularly the United States, the Postmaster-General has already pointed out (in his telegram of the 17th August) that this must be a matter for negotiation between your Government and the several foreign Governments concerned. Since the receipt of your letter now under reply, the Agent-General for New Zealand has, on behalf of his Government, requested the PostmasterGeneral to use influence with foreign Post Offices and the International Bureau of the Union in • order to further the desired change. It has been explained to him that the Postmaster-General has not, and cannot have, any influence in this matter. Nor has the International Bureau, which merely serves as a medium of communication between Union Administrations, any power to affect the arrangements made between them. The sole method of reducing postage below the normal Union tariff which Union Administrations can adopt is that provided in Article XXI. of the Convention of Washington—namely, the formation of restricted unions for the purpose by mutual agreement between the Post Offices concerned. Thus the Post Office of New Zealand will have to treat directly with any foreign Post Office with which it desires to establish penny postage. Her Majesty's Postmaster-General will, of course, be much interested to see whether you will bo more successful than he was in endeavouring to arrange for a reduced postage to foreign countries. The Agent-General has also stated that it is desired to obtain a separate vote for the New Zealand Post Office in the affairs of the Union. You are no doubt aware that, to this end, it is incumbent upon the New Zealand Post Office, under Article XXVI. of the Convention, to make a , proposal, with the support of at least two Union Administrations, to the Union, through the International Burea.u, for the modification of Article XXVII., and that the proposal will have to receive a unanimity of votes. The Postmaster-General will have pleasure, if Her Majesty's Government sees no objection, in supporting the proposal of your office, and he is representing the matter to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Meanwhile it will be necessary for you to seek the support of a second Administration, which the Postmaster-General ventures to suggest might readily be found in either the Post Office of Canada or that of the United States. I am &c, The Postmaster-General, Wellington. G. H. Murbay.

Schedule of the British Possessions and Protectorates comprised with the United Kingdom in the Penny-postage Scheme. Aden; Ascension; Bahamas; Barbadoes; Bermudas; British Central Africa Protectorate; British Bast Africa Protectorate; British Guiana; British Honduras; British North Borneo; Canada; Cape Colony ; Ceylon ; Cyprus ; Falkland Islands; Fiji; Gambia; Gibraltar ; Gold Coast; Hongkong ; India ; Jamaica ; Johore ; Labuan ; Lagos ; Leeward Islands — namely, Antigua, St. Kitts, Nevis, Dominica, Monserrat, and the Virgin Islands; Malay States, Protected—namely, Perak, Salangor, Neyri-Sembilan, and Pahang; Malta; Mauritius; Natal; Newfoundland; Nigeria Northern —including Borgu, Idda, and Lakoja; Nigeria Southern—including Akassa, Asaba, Benin, Bonny. Brass, Burutu, Calabar (New and Old), Onitsha, Opobo, Warree or Forcados; St. Helena; Sarawak; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Straits Settlements; Tobago; Trinidad; Turk's Islands; Uganda; Windward Islands—namely, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines; Zanzibar.

15