THE PENNY POST.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 310, 29 December 1900, Page 5

THE PENNY POST.

WKLLi.NIiTO.X, this day

The Hon. J. (J. Ward, Postmaster' iicrnl, has forwarded the following -•oTP.m to Aii' Seddon at Sydney: —

"Mr Ci'iclc cables that Victoria and iSov- hoiiu. Wales t;\nnuli accept The ad-jiii.-siou of div: penny postage letters until after tliu Commonwealth decide to adopt a. reciprocal rate. ') here Is no need whatever to wait for the Commonwealth Government to adopfcn reciprocal, rate so jar as the admission of our Jetters is concerned. I have telegraphed Messrs Barton, Kingston, Deacon and Turner to use theit influence to have out- letters admitted. L shall be glad il! you will urge thist upon the. (jovernment alter your arrival. You will be able to judge ih« position bettor by the following cable, which 1. have sent to the rostiuaslerOeneral. —J. G. Ward."

The following- is a copy of the telegram to the Hon. Mr Crick, 3?ost-niaster-General, Sydney; to Hie l.'ost-jnasters-GeneJ-aJ, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Ilobart, and the Ministers in charge of the post offices at Adelaide and Perth: —"In view of the consummation of Australian federation a.f the beginning of the New Year, I eai-ne.st< ]y hope you may see your way to agree, to accept our penny letters until the Federal Government / determine whether there shaH be an Australian ptenny postage embracing New Zealand. 1 may mention that many of our colonist's desire to eoramemorat* your federation by writing- to their friends in Australia by the medium of the penny post. To preclude this would cause widespread disappointment and probably be looked upon as anti-federal in spirit, which at this juncture should be avoided. I myself purpose forwarding- brief congratulatory messages on the advent of the new century by penny post to the Gover-nor-General, Governors, Ministers, principals officials, newspapers and ;i number of commercial and business men in Australia. These -will be prepaid. The object will be missed if the* letters have to be enclosed in franked official covers to avoid surcharge. May I hope for a favourable response to my request, which is already endorsed by our Cabinet.—J. G-. Ward,"