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1904. NEW ZEALAND.

REDUCTION OF NEWSPAPER POSTAGE (PAPERS RELATING TO).

Pretented to both Rouses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

INDEX. Letters— Pages. Canada, 1. United States of Amerioa, 20 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1, 6 Newspapebs and Periodicals— To Australia, 11, 15, 16, 30, 31. To or from Canada, 1-10, 12, 14, 19, 80, 35. To United Kingdom, 8, 8-10, 12-14, 17, 18, 21-24, 28, 29, 82-34 ; Reduotion of Transit-rates for, 27 ; Boute for, 25-27, 29, 30. To other British Dependencies, 35 .. .. .. . 1-11

No. 1. The Deputy Postmaster-Gbnisbal, Ottawa, to the Hon. the Postmaster-Genebal, Wellington. Sib,— Post Office Department, Canada, Ottawa, sth March, 1903. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your communication of the 14th November last [not printed], transmitting a copy of a letter from Mr. G. H. Hale, Orillia, Ont., in which the suggestion is made that the domestic postage-rates of Canada should cover transmission of correspondence from Canada to New Zealand and vice versa. In reply to your proposal that the postage-rates on newspapers passing between Canada and New Zealand should be reduced to Id. per newspaper, I beg leave to say that, upon careful consideration of the matter, this Department prefers having the rate fixed at Id. or 2 cents for each 8 oz. or fraction thereof. Will you kindly inform me whether this modification of your proposal meets with the approval of your Administration? I have, &c, R. M. Coulteb, The Postmaster-General, Wellington. Deputy Postmaster-General.

No. 2. The Deputy Postmastee-Genebal, Ottawa, to the Hon. the Postmasteb-Genebal, Wellington. Sir, — Post Office Department, Canada, Ottawa, 12th March, 1903. I beg leave to inform you that since the despatch of my letter proposing the adoption of a uniform rate of Id. or 2 cents per 8 oz. on newspapers passing between Canada and New Zealand, an arrangement has been made with the British Post Office Department under which newspapers and periodicals can be sent from Canada to the United Kingdom at the same rates of postage as apply to that class of matter when posted for delivery within Canada. The Postmaster-General now desires me to inquire whether your Administration would be prepared to enter into an arrangement whereby newspapers and periodicals might be sent from Canada to New Zealand and from New Zealand to Canada at the inland postage-rates; or, failing this, whether you would consent to an arrangement —similar to that which has been made with the British Post Office —permitting the Canadian Post Office to send newspapers and periodicals to New Zealand at the Canadian domestic rates, and the New Zealand Post Office to be free to charge either the Postal Union rate, or such lower rate as it thinks fit, on newspapers and periodicals sent to Canada,

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