F.—3.

Le tarif interne pour les lettres s'eleVe a 15 centimes par 15 grammes; en outre les lettres remises a domicile, et c'est naturellement le plus grand nombre, sont encore grevees dun droit de distribution de 5 centimes pour objet. Dans ces conditions mon office ne peut adopter pour un international le tarif que vous avezbien voulu me proposer. Dun autre c6t6 j'estime qu'il doit y avoir, autant que possible, reciprocity dans les prix d'afiranchissement applicables a l'echange entre deux pays. Je pense done que, pour le moment, il vaut mieux s'en tenir en tarif de l'Union pour nos relations reciproques, en attendant que dcs circomstances plus favorables nous permettent d'entreprendre une reforme dans le genre de celle dont il s'agit. Agreez, &c, Le Directeur-G6n6ral, A. Mr. le Postmaster-General de la Nouvelle-Zelande a Wellington.

[Translation.] I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 23rd November last, in which you were good enough to propose to me the application of penny postage between our two offices. My Administration views with great sympathy any measure tending to facilitate the development of the postal tariff, and would be glad to conclude an agreement in the sense indicated, if reasons, which cannot be left out of consideration, did not preclude its doing so. The inland tariff for letters amounts to 15 centimes for 15 grammes. Moreover, letters delivered at domicile—and naturally these are the most numerous—are surcharged a delivery fee of 5 centimes per article. Under these circumstances my office could not accept for international exchange the tariff which you were good enough to propose. On the other hand, I hold that there should be reciprocity, as far as possible, in the postages applicable to exchanges between our two countries. I consider, therefore, that for the present it will be best to adhere to the tariff of the union for our reciprocal relations until more favourable circumstances should permit us to undertake a reform in the direction in question.

No. 90. The Dieectoe-General of Swiss Posts, Berne, to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Wellington. Direction Ge'ndraie dcs Postes Suisses, Monsieue le Dieecteue-Geneeal, — Berne, le 11 Janvier, 1901. En prenant la libert6 de me refe>er a ma lettre dv 26 Octobre 1900, gui re'pondait a la votre dv 8 Septembre de la meme annde, au sujet de la meme affaire, j'ai l'honneur de rdpondre comme suite a votre communication dv 23 Novembre dernier. Quelque disposed que soit mon Administration a s'associer a toute proposition ayant pour but la realisation dun progrds, je regrette de ne pouvoir, en raison dcs consequences, souscrire a celle tendant a l'introduction dune taxe de 10 cts. par 15 gr. pour les lettres echangdes entre nos deux pays. En effet, le public suisse ne comprendrait pas et envisagerait a bon droit comme une anomalie qu'une lettre a destination dun pays eloigne d'outre-mer put etre transported a raison dune taxe de 10 cts. alors que la meme lettre devrait etre affranchie par 25 cts. si elle exait a destination dun dcs pays avoisinant la Suisse. En revanche, je me declare dispose a faire delivrer jusqu'a nouvel ordre aux destinataires sans perception de taxe, a la condition qu'elles ne portent aucun signe les ddsignant comme insuffisamment affranchies, les lettres de la Nouvelle-Zelande a destination de la Suisse affranchies dun penny par 15 gr. Veuillez agrder, &c, Le Directeur-G6n6ral, General Post Office, Wellington. Lutz.

[Translation.] In taking the liberty of referring to my letter of the 26th October, 1900, which was in reply to yours of the Bth September of the same year and on the same subject, I have the honour to reply as follows to your communication of the 23rd November last: —■ However disposed my Administration might be to associate itself with any proposal having for its object the realisation of progress, I regret being unable, owing to its consequences, to subscribe to that tending to the introduction of the penny rate for 15 grammes between our two countries. In fact, the Swiss public would not comprehend and would rightly regard it as an anomaly if a letter addressed to a distant country beyond sea could be forwarded at the penny rate when the same letter would have to be prepaid 2Jd. if directed to one of the countries in the vicinity of Switzerland. On the other hand, I feel disposed to deliver, until further advised, to addressees, without surcharge, letters from New Zealand for Switzerland prepaid at Id. for 15 grammes, provided they bear no mark denoting them as insufficiently paid,

4—F. 3.

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