THE POSTAL CONGRESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2722, 16 May 1906, Page 25

THE POSTAL CONGRESS.

NEW ZEALAND GIVEN A VOTE. ROME, May 10. The Postal Congress, sitting in plenary session, deprived the Transvaal .and the Orange River Colony of their votes. The Congress increased the weight of I letters to 20 grammes, maintaining the ; existing rate. The rate for each addii tional 20 grammes has been fixed at 15 centimes, at Great Britain's instance. The Committee of the Postal Congress rejected all proposals dealing with chain j letters or snowball letters. May 11. At the Postal Union Congress a proposal to give New Zealand a separate vote i was carried by 22 votes to 20. Seventeen 1 delegates abstained from voting, and three J were absent. The British delegates urged the fairness of the proposal. ! Sir J. G. Ward strongly deprecated the I introduction of national sentiments or political considerations which were ; within the sphere of government. He declared that New Zealand's postal revenue exceeded that of some of the other countries in the Postal Union with a separate vote, and said that if the proposal were rejected it would be unjust, and, for reasons outside postal matters, such decisions would shake the confidence in the impartiality of the -Postal Union. Germany and France strongly opposed Sir J. G. Ward, but Cuba supported him. Sir J. G. Ward made his next speech in French, thanking the congress for the result arrived at. The speech was received with an ovation. Additional votes were given to the German colonies, France, Italy, and Portugal. May 12. The Postal Union Congress has confirmed the system of prepayment to enable correspondents to reply to letters. Special representation has also been granted to the British colonies in South Africa as a whole. May 13. Mr Chapman, the Federal Postmastergeneral, strongly supported the motion that the next Postal Congress be held in Australia, but the general opinion favoured a- European capital. The reference to the Snowball letters has proved somewhat puzzling: to th© Commonwealth postal officials. The first impression was that the term " Snowball " referred to chain letters, but Mr R. T. Scott, the postal secretary, remarked that he thought the word " Snowball " was really the name of a Victorian resident who had made a proposal regarding a reply paid letter scheme, and that the cable message therefore referred to Mr Snowball's proposition. The Premier has received a cable confirming the information that New Zealand will be given a separate vote at the Postal Congress. The colony will now have equal status with the other countries. Mr Seddon and his colleagues have congratulated Sir Joseph on the success of his mission. A cablegram lias been received by the Premier from Sir J. G. Ward stating that the voting at the Postal Congress goes by countries. Each county has one vote.