F.—3.

No. 157. The Hon. the Postmaster-Genebal, Wellington, to the Director-General of Posts and Telegraphs, Monte "Video. Sir,— ■ General Post Office, Wellington, 25th July, 1901. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 30th April last, advising that you would submit my request that you should receive without surcharge letters from this colony prepaid at the rate of Id. per half-ounce to the Parliament of your Eepublic. I await a further reply, which, it is hoped, will be favourable. I have, &c, W. Gray, For the Postmaster-General. The Director-General of Posts and Telegraphs, Monte Video.

No. 158. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to the Directob-General of Posts, Berlin. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 25th July, 1901. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 31st May last, advising that you were still unable to agree to the receipt without surcharge of letters from this colony prepaid at the rate of Id. per half-ounce. I learn with regret your decision in the matter. 1 have, &c, W. Gray, The Director-General of Posts, Berlin. For the Postmaster-General. [Letters in similar terms sent to the Directors-General of Posts and Telegraphs, Brussels, Madrid, Stockholm, and Tunis.]

No. 159. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to the Under- Secretary for State of Posts and Telegraphs, Paris. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 25th July, 1901. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th May last, advising that you were still unable to agree either to the proposed exchange of letters between our respective countries at the rate of Id. per half-ounce or to the receipt without surcharge of such letters from New Zealand. I learn with regret that your Administration is unable to see its way to accept our letters at the reduced rate. I have, &c, W. Gray, For the Postmaster-General. The Under-Secretary for State of Posts and Telegraphs, Paris. [Letters of a similar text addressed to the Director-General of Posts and Telegraphs, The Hague, Netherlands; and the Director-General of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones, Sofia, Bulgaria.]

No. 160. The General Secretary, Congo Free State, Department of Foreign Affairs, Brussels, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Etat Independant dv Congo, Departement dcs Affaires Etrangeres, Bruxelles, le 5 Aout, 1901. Monsieur le dcs Postes, — J'ai l'honneur de vous accuser la reception de votre lettre dv 11 Juin dernier, par laquelle vous demandez que les bureaux de l'Administration dcs Postes de l'Btat Independant dv Congo considerent comme regulierement affranchies, a leur arrivee a destination, les correspondances emanant de votre office revetues dun timbre de fr. 010 par 15 grammes. Je me suis empresse de faire examiner la proposition nouvelle que vous voulez bien me soumettre et j'ai le regret de vous informer que je ne puis reserver un accueil favorable a votre demande. En effet, toutes les correspondances que nous recevons dcs offices de l'Union, sont traitees, a leur arrivee dans nos perceptions, dune facon identique et la situation actuelle dv service postal de l'Btat ne lvi permet pas d'aecorder un traitement differential aux correspondances originaires de votre Administration. Je vous serais oblige de vouloir considerer cette decision comme un corollaire de celle gui faisait l'objel de ma depeche dv 17 Avril dernier. Veuillez agreer, &c, Le Secretaire General, General Post Office, Wellington. .

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