F.—3.

Beichs-Postamt zu seinem Bedauern vorerst nicht in der Lage, dem Vorschlage dcs General Post Office zuzustimmen ; es glaubt vielmehr ergebenst anheimstellen zu solleu, die Angelegenheit, deren Bedeutung fiir die Entwickelung dea Weltpostvereins nicht verkannt wird, dem nachsten Postkongresse zu unterbreiten. Beziiglioh dcs weiteren Vorschlags, wenigstens die aus Neu-Seeland abgesendeten, mit einem Penny fiir je 15 g. frankirten Briefe den Empfangern in Deutschiand ohne Nachtaxe zuzustellen, beehrt sich das Reichs-Postamc zu bemerken, dass es nicht angangig erseheint, fiir die cine und fiir die andere Richtung verschiedenartige Portosatze anzunehmen, weil em solches Verfahren nach diesseitiger Auffassung einem der Grundprinzipien dcs Weltpostvereins, demjenigen der Beciprocitat, zuwiderlaufen wiirde und cine Ausnahme yon diesem Princip im Weltpostvertrag nur beziiglich der Zuschlagtaxen (Art. 5, 2) zugelassen ist. General Post Office, Wellington. F. Waeekb.

[ I'BANSLATIOiS .j The Imperial Post Office has been greatly interested in the desire of the General Post Office to introduce penny letter postage (10 centimes per 15 grammes) in exchanges between New Zealand and all other countries. It recognises in the proposal a pleasing proof that the postal conditions of Australasia, which, even in 1891, only with difficulty permitted of the Australian Colonies joining the Universal Postal Union, have experienced under the influence of the union a complete change in the sense of continued development, as contemplated in the underlying intentions of the Universal Postal Union. Seeing that Germany, as intimated to the General Post Office in the circular letter of the International Bureau of 3rd May, 1899, No. 2728/111, in exchanges with her colonies, as well as between the latter, introduced even farther-reaching postal reductions than those contemplated by your Administration, she naturally'views the suggestions by the General Post Office to reduce the letter postage between Germany and the German Colonies and New Zealand sympathetically, on principle. However, the time for such innovation does not appear to have yet arrived. The German public would be unable to comprehend why the letter postage to distant New Zealand should be reduced, and yet for the nearer countries, more especially those in the immediate vicinity, retained at the present rates, 20 pfennings per 15 grammes. That, however, in exchanges with the countries contemplated, a reduction in letter postage in the direction indicated by you could be immediately realised is considered by the Imperial Post Office to be precluded through the great financial importance of the question to the countries affected ; at all events, the question of assessing postages is intimately connected with the difficult transit problem. Under these circumstances the Imperial Post Office, to its regret, is as yet unable to accede to the proposal of the General Post Office. It would urge, moreover, that, in view of the importance of the development of the Universal Postal Union, the question be submitted to the next Congress. With respect to the further proposal to at least deliver without surcharge to addressees in .Germany letters from New Zealand which are prepaid Id. per half-ounce, the Imperial Post Office begs to remark that it would not be expedient to have different postages for one way and the other, because such a course would be contrary in its opinion to one of the elementary principles of the Universal Postal Union, that of reciprocity, and the only infraction of this principle permissible under the Universal Postal Convention is in connection with surcharges (Art 5, 2.).

No. 117. The Dikectob-General of Finances, Luxemburg, to the Hon. the Postmasteh-Genebal Wellington. Grand Duche de Luxembourg, Luxembourg, le 19 Fevrier, 1901. MONSIEUB LE MaITBE-GeNEEAD, — En reponse a votre estimee en date dv 23 Novembre de l'annee ecoulee, concernant l'introduction dun tarif reduit pour les relations postales entre la Nouvelle-Zelande et le GrandDuche, j'ai l'honneur de vous informer qu'il resulte de l'instruction a laquelle l'administration dcs postes de cc pays a fait proceder, qu'en cc moment les relations entre les deux pays sont de tres peu d'importance ; tout en rendant hommage a la pensee gui a dicte votre proposition, je crois cependant qu'il serait preferable de la reserver pour le prochain congres postal, et d'examiner en meme temps la question de savoir s'il ne convient pas, en egard au grand developpement qua pris le service international, de proposer dune maniere generate la reduction dcs taxes actuelles. Veuillez agreer, &c, Le Directeur-General dcs Finances, A Monsieur le Maltre-General dcs Postes a Wellington,

[Tbanslation.] In reply to your letter of the 23rd November last, concerning the introduction of a reduced tariff in the postal relations between New Zealand and the Grand Duchy, I have the honour to inform you that, from an examination by this Administration, it does not appear that the correspondence between our two countries is of great importance. While, therefore, appreciating the motive which prompted your proposal, I consider it would be preferable to reserve it for the next Postal Congress, and to investigate at the same time whether it would not be advisable, in view of the. great development of the international service, to propose a reduction in the present charges generally.

36