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No. 3. Mr. A. D. Bayfeild, Westport. to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sir,— Westport, 22nd July, 1909. * * * * * ' * * The part marked might interest you, and, indeed, if opportunity offers, I would be glad if you brought it under the notice of Sir Joseph on his return. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. A. D. Bayfeild. [Acknowledged 26th October, 1909.] [P.O. 09/28(7).]

Enclosure in No. 3. The Manager, Engineering and Mining Journal, New York, to Mr. A. D. Bayfeild, Westport. Sir,— New York, 12th May, 1909. We are in receipt of your esteemed favour printed] The matter of universal penny postage is being agitated in this country right along. At present it is in effect with the British Isles and Germany, and we believe it is only a matter of time until it will be extended to all of the British colonies. We have, &c, THE FjNGINEEKINU AND MINING JOURNAL Mr. A. D. Bayfeild, Westport. ( R - McjLban, Manager).

No. 4. The Acting Consul for Austria-Hungary, Auckland, to the Hon. the Acting - PostmasterGeneral, Wellington. Sir, — Consulate of Austria-Hungary, Auckland, 19th August, 1909. I herewith take the liberty of writing to you in the following matter. Seeing that letters from New Zealand to the United States of America and Italy can be forwarded at the rate of Id. per ounce, I would ask you to kindly let me know if a similar concession could be extended to letters addressed to Austria-Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Upon receipt of a favourable reply I will at once approach the Postal Departments of abovementioned countries re admitting letters from New Zealand at the penny rate. I would esteem it a great favour if you would kindly let me know what should be done in order to bring about the desired end. I have, &c, Cabl Klette, I. and E. Acting Consul for Austria-Hungary. The Hon. the Acting-Postmaster-General, Wellington. [P.O. 09/28(9).]

No. 5. The Hon. the Acting-Postmaster-General., Wellington, to the Acting Consul for AustriaHungary, Auckland. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 26th August, 1909. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19lh instant proposing that letters from New Zealand addressed to Austria-Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina be forwarded at the postage rate of Id. per ounce. I should be very pleased to adopt your proposal; but, unfortunately, when the Hon. the Postmaster-General in 1900 approached the countries of the Postal Union with a request that they should exchange letters at Id. with New Zealand, some of the replies were unfavourable. Not to be disappointed in a scheme which he was convinced was second to hardly any other in the dissemination of international knowledge and good understanding, the Postmaster-General repeated his request to those countries which in the first instance had replied unfavourably. His want of success is announced in the final letters received from Vienna, copies of which I attach. I have, &c, J. G. Findlay, Acting-Postmaster-General. The I. and E. Acting Consul for Austria-Hungary, Auckland. [P.O. 09/28(9).]

Enclosure 1 in No. 5. Copy of Letter from the Minister of Commerce, Vienna, to the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Vienna, Austria, 25th January, 1901. In reply to your letter of the 23rd November last [No. 63, F.-3, 1903], I have the honour to inform you that I regret that I am unable to accept your proposal to introduce the reduced tariff of Id. (L 0 centimes) per single rate for letters in the relations between our two countries. Eeduced charges for letters are only applied in respect of my office in the relations with some neighbouring countries. The adoption of a reduced charge in the international service would entail too great loss, while the introduction of such a measure in the exchange with a single distant country would not meet actual requirements of the traffic. Nor is it possible, in accordance with the principle of reciprocity, to permit of the delivery to addressees, without surcharge, of letters originating in New Zealand and prepaid at the rate of Id. in lieu of 2£d. per half-ounce.