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Apia, calling attention to the fact that letters from New Zealand to Apia should be prepaid at Postal "Union rates. Considering the proximity of Samoa to this colony, and that Postal Union rates had not been considered to apply to Apia, I should be much obliged if your Administration would agree to a special arrangement under which letters might still continue to be forwarded at the New Zealand inland rate. In this connection, I would refer to that portion of your letter of the 15th February last, in ■which you remark that 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, the present rate retained, and express the hope that this difficulty will not apply to the German possessions in Samoa. I have, &c, The Director-General of Posts, Berlin. J. G. Wabd, Postmaster-General.

No. 168. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Postmasteb, Apia. Sic,— General Post Office, Wellington, 21st October, 1901. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12th ultimo, stating that letters from New Zealand for Apia are frequently received insufficiently prepaid, but, nevertheless, are not impressed with the " T " stamp. In reply, I have to inform you that, prior to the introduction of the penny postage, letters for Samoa had for many years been subject to the same rates of postage as those subsisting in this colony for inland matter, and this does not appear to have been questioned until the present time. The Postmaster-General is now in communication with the Imperial Post Office at Berlin on the matter. I have, &c,' The Postmaster, Apia, Samoa. W. Gray, Secretary.

No. 169. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 6th November, 1901. I have the honour to inform you that a local newspaper publishes a recent article from the Sydney Daily Telegraph on the subject of letters from New Zealand to New South Wales bearing Id. postage being surcharged 2d. at Sydney. The article contains the following :— '■ Some time ago the New Zealand Government, in introducing the penny-postage system, intimated that it would make up the deficiency of Id. on each letter posted to a State where the New Zealand system was not recognised. Unfaithful to its promise, New Zealand, after leading its people to believe that Id. was sufficient, causes a surcharge on every letter of 2d. to be made by the Federal postal authorities. We have been shown several letters of recent date marked ' Double deficient postage,' and upon which the tax has had to be paid. On a previous occasion the matter was brought before Mr. J. Dalgarno (Deputy Postmaster-General), and after making inquiries that gentleman explains: ' With regard to the statement that it was understood that the New Zealand Department would pay any deficient postage on New Zealand letters for Australia, I may state that it would seem, from a paragraph which appeared in your paper on the 9th February last, that the authorities there intended doing so, but no official intimation to that effect has been received by this Department.' I should be obliged if you would kindly say if the newspaper is correct in attributing the statement in question to you. I have, &c, The Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney. W. Gray, Secretary.

No. 170. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Director, International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union, Berne. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 7th November, 1901. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Bth July last, on the subject of the adoption of the universal penny postage by this colony. I note that you are of opinion that a simple administrative agreement with the countries which have agreed to accept our penny letters is not sufficient, and steps are therefore being taken to procure diplomatic action in the matter. When this has been completed you will again be communicated with. In accordance with your request, I have to advise you, in regard to footnote (40) New Zealand (a), page 26 of the summary of general interest, that the following are the names of the colonies now forming the Australian States —namely, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. These are known collectively as the Australian Commonwealth.

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