POSTAL MATTERS.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7964, 11 September 1891, Page 6

POSTAL MATTERS.

The principal event of the Vienna Postal Convention, just concluded, was the admission of the Australian colonies. They have agreed, according to Captain Brooks, United States delegate to the Convention, to come in on October Ist, 1891, provided the international postal rates are not reduced. They claimed they could not stand a reduction. The present rate between Australia and the United States is 12 cents and vice versa, sixpence per half ounce. The United States will at once reduce the rate to 5 cents. Australia may keep ite rate at 10 cents, but it is likely it will reduce it at once to 5 cents. Another matter of interest is that of a change in the size of sample packages of merchandise which may be sent through the mails to and from countries in the Union. The new treaty increases the limit to I°-'" by Bin by 4in. Another measure of public interest is that each country in the Union, after July Ist, 1892, will issue a double postal card for foreign service costing 4 cents. The writer indites a message on one of these cards, puts the address on the same card and posts the combination. When the addressee receives it he tears off the card not written on, writes his reply on it, addresses it, and post mails it. Any country in the Union is required to forward this card and the country in which the double combination card ia bought' receives free postage both ways. The new treaty comes into effect July Ist, 1892.