Yienna Postal Conference.

Bush Advocate, Volume VII, Issue 477, 4 June 1891, Page 3

Vienna Postal Conference.

<• How New Zealand is Affeoted. Exactly how far New Zealand is committed by the agreement of the colonial delegates at the Vienna Conference that the colonies shali enter the General Postal Unioii is not very clear. At. the recent conference of Australasian Postmas-ters-General in Sydney it was agreed that each colony should be represented at Vienna. It was understoood that tho delegates would have no voting power, but that they would hear the discussions, and if the question of the admission of the colonies came under consideration, they would express the view embodied in a resolution passed at Sydney, viz., that the colonies would agree to enter the Udion provided the present arrangements as to maritime charges for an internutional transit of mails was left undisturbed. It would seem from this week's cable messages • that the condition has been practically agreed to. The understanding at the Sydney gathering, however, was that on entrance to the Union the colonies ought to have two votes between them, whereas the Conference has only ono. New Zealand is not represented, as Sir Dillion Bell is unable to leave London, and tho Government are not aware that any one had authority to enter into any undertaking on their account Still there is little doubt that our colony will enter the Union, the great concession on its own side, viz., the reduction of ocean postage rate to the Union level of 2|d having already been made. Tho chief advantages accruing from membership of the Union are as follows : — All correspondence j from the colony can be sent at the 2£d rate to every country which has entered the Union, instead of to Great Britain only, as now arranged. Practisally all part of the civilised world except the Australasian colonies and the Cape are already attached to the Union, and the last named is considered likely to join now. The right of transit is guaranteed throughout the entire territory of the Union. Facilities^ are afforded for the extension of the money order system to Union conntries. By frequent interchange of opinions between Union offices, the postal services are likely to be materially improved, in matters of detail as well as general principles. Charges for re-direction are abolished, so that all letters from Union countrioe for New Zealand (except those wholly unpaid) would be delivered free, no matter how often the addressees changed their address. This does not necessarily apply to re-directions of letter posted in the colony for delivery within the colony, thought the Postmaster-General has power to remit tho extra charge upon those also. There are also various smaller advantages mainly affecting matters of administration. — Post.