F.-3.

No. 134. The Postmaster-General, Monrovia, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Sir, — General Post Office, Monrovia, 2nd May, 1901. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, bearing date 23rd November, 1900, in reference to the introduction into New Zealand of the penny tariff, and note the suggestion on your part, for the consideration of this Administration, of the formation of a restricted union between the Eepublic of Liberia and New Zealand under Article XXI. of the Principal Convention of Washington. I regret to say that it is not in my power at present to reduce the tariff on letters mailed in Liberia. 1 will, however, deliver to addressees, without tax, letters coming from New Zealand prepaid at the rate of Id. for 15 grammes. I have, &c, F. E. B. Johnson, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Postmaster-General.

No. 135. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to the Director-General of Swiss Posts, Berne. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 10th May, 1901. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd February last, asking since when letters have been posted in New Zealand for Switzerland prepaid at Id. per half-ounce, and, in reply, to inform you that the reduced rate was applied on the 9th March last. I beg to enclose for your acceptance a list of the countries, to which New Zealand letters are sent for Id. per half-ounce. To other places the Postal Union rates are charged, except Australia, to which the postage is 2d. per half-ounce. This Department does not now levy a maritime tax of any kind. The postage of Id. per half-ounce is regarded as sufficiently prepaying a letter to or from the countries named in the list. The International Bureau will be advised of the cessation of the maritime tax on post-cards. I have, &c, W. Gray, The Director-General of Swiss Posts, Berne. For the Postmaster-General.

No. 136. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to the Director-General of Posts, Eome. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 15th May, 1901. I have the honour to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your letter of the 13th March last, advising that you had given instructions to offices under your control to deliver free of surcharge correspondence from New Zealand for Italy prepaid at the rate of Id. per half-ounce. I have, &c, Thomas Eose, The Director-General of Posts, Eome. For the Postmaster-General.

No.. 137. The Director-General of Posts and Telegraphs, Brussels, to the Hon. the PostmasterGeneral, Wellington. Monsieur, — Administration dcs Postes, Bruxelles, le 21 Mai, 1901. Comme suite a votre lettre dv 9 Avril dr., j'ai l'honneur de vous confirmer ma reponse dv 14 Janvier, 1901. Aux termes de l'Art. 21 de la Convention principale de Washington, un arrangement special devrait etre conclu par voie diplomatique entre nos deux pays pour que les lettres de la NouvelleZelande a destination de la Belgique, affranchies a raison dun penny par demi-once, pussent etre remises sans taxe aux destinataires. L'Administration dcs postes Beige ne pourrait pas recommander un tel arrangement a son gouvernement parce que cet arrangement aurait pour effet de deroger, au profit dune dcs parties contractantes seulement, a une dcs dispositions fondamentales de la convention d'Union postale universelle. Veuillez agreer, &c, Le Directeur-General, A Monsieur le Postmaster-General, Wellington. .

[Translation.] With reference to your letter of the 9th April last, I have the honour to confirm my reply of the 14th January, 1901. In terms of Article 21 of the Principal Convention of Washington, a special agreement would have to be concluded through diplomatic channels between our two countries to have letters from New Zealand addressed to Belgium, prepaid at Id. per half-ounce delivered without charge to the addressee. The Belgian Administration of Posts could not recommend such an agreement to its Government, because it would practically abrogate in favour of one of the contracting parties only, one of the fundamental provisions of the Convention of the Universal Postal Union.

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