THE POSTAL CONGRESS. SIR JOSEPH WARD'S SPEECH.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 141, 15 June 1906, Page 5

THE POSTAL CONGRESS. SIR JOSEPH WARD'S SPEECH.

REJECTION OF UNIVERSAL PENNY POSTAGE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, 4th May. At last Saturday's meeting of the Postal Congress held in Rome, a resolution in favour of universal penny postage was moved by Sir Joseph Ward, as Post-master-General of New Zealand. Sir Joseph began by declaring his firm conviction that " a system of universal penny postage would be an enormous advantage to the world at largo from a national, a _ commercial, an educational, and domestic standpoint, while the loss of revenue- Would be but temporary." Sir Joseph went on to say that he would not have been present as a delegate but [ for a desire to see consummated the adoption of universal penny postage. He felt sure this Would give a greater opportunity to the people of different naj tioualitie9 more freely to uommunicatn | with each other, and Vt-ould thus, from the national standpoint, promote a ' greater spread of knowledge. That, to- ! pether with the education movement in different countries, would ensure a broader recognition of the aims and aspirations of different nations, of which few people knew as much as they W6uld desire. Ho firmly believed that the- universal penny post would, in a short tame, pay the postal administrations concerned, and still provide a balance of revenue over expenditure. For his own country, New Zealand, he had been a, consistent advocate from the year 1886 for establishing the penny post. In 18§2 the opportunity presented itself to him in his official position as Minister in charge of the Postal Department to have legislation carried through Parliament authorising the Govemor-in-Council to establish penny postage within or outside Ngw Zealand when deemed advisable. On Ist January, 1901, he had the pleasure of announcing penny postage in New Zealand to every part of the civilised worldi New Zealand, when instituting the penny rate, invited every country in the world to accept its letters at that rate, end also agreed to receive letters at a, penny from every country desiring to send them at the same rate. The result is that New Zealand has now about- the widest range of penny postage in the world, over a hundred administrations in other countries having agreed to accept its letters at a- penny and to deliver them without surcharge. He was glfßd to be able to state in Rome that the Italian Government was one of thdse that promptly., agreed to accept .letters from New Zealand at a penny. To-day letters from -New Zealand to Italy cost one penny, and he cdrdially wished that this rate were reciprocal. Some countries had also agreed to send their letters to New Zealand at a penny. After summarising favourably the results in New Zealand of . former reductions. Sir Joseph concluded by saying ho recognised that each country should necessarily have the utmost freedom in deciding any matter that immediately affected its -finance, and that, however valuable this great Postal Union might appear in the eyes of its adherents, it should not be allowed to have an overriding authority in . matters where the financial ' side affected the individual country. The affirmation .of the principle, however, by the congress' would ensure to any country desiring 1 to establish universal penny postage at least the right that its letters should be delivered to every other country within the Postal Union without a surcharge being levied by the delivering country or exacted from the addressee. Any country establishing universal penny postage would, as the originating country, alone be affected by*the financial outcome of the reduced rate, and he would express the hope- that it should, therefore, be permitted to send its letters to every of the Postal Union without restriction. The trend toward universal penny postage throughout the world was distinctly marked. 'He should not be surprised to find before tho next congress met that every civilised country had established at least inland penny p6stage. Since the Postal Union in 1874 fixed the oversea rate of postage at twenty-five centimes practically nothing had been done in the way of reduction. The cost of transit then both by land and sea, as well as the relative cost of postal administration, was enormously greater than at the present day. While there had been many important Improvements in rail and , steamer communication throughout tho world, and in mail transit generally, yet there had been no alteration in the Postal Union rates for letters for thirty-two yearo. He had endeavoured to place before the congress the views of a country which was the only one that had so far adopted the principles of a system of universal penny postage, and where it had worked well in every, respect nationally, commercially, domestically, and, above all, financially. Although the country which he represented was far away in the Southern Pacific, it would not, he felt sure; be regarded as out of place that he should move .in the matter. Sir Joseph concluded with a tribute to tho magnificent work which postal administrations, especially of ' those countries within the union, had carried out, and he trusted that the wisddm and discernment which had characterised the policy of postal progress would enable the delegates, in the expressive "language of the Secrtary of State Tor Italy at the inauguration of the congress, to earn the distinction of being in postal matters progressive " citizens of th© world." Sir Joseph Ward's speech was well received, and at its conclusion, was greeted with cheers by the delegates. Saba Pasha, Postmaster-General of Egypt, seconded the resolution, and the debate was adjourned until Tuesday, when the proposal was negatived, the only countries beside Australia votlngin favour of it being Egypt and the United States. Immediately that the result was known, the New Zealand Postmaster-General 6cnt the following telegraphic message to Mr. Henniker Heaton : "The motion I submitted for universal penny postagewas lost. America) and Australia voted for the motion. Great Britain and a few other nations abstained from action. Representatives of most of the other Powers voted against it. Mr. Henniker Heaton, however, says ifc is believed that two or three other Powers v/ill adopt universal penny postage under the restricted union clause.

This morning's sales on the Wellington Stock Exchange are as follows: — Wellington Meat Export 3rd iwue (£2 12a 6d paid), £Z 33 ; Waihi, £8 ss. j On the Prince of Wales's Birthday four boys, whole ages range from twelve t» sixteen year*, went on a holiday jaunt :n the direction of Happy Valley. There they amused themselves by throwing stones at a whare owned by Geo. Stockbridge and damaging it to the extlent of about 12s. One of the quartette, named Archer, also damaged a house occupied by Chas. Wright to the extent of 7s 6d. This morning tho boys appeared before Dr. A, M'Arthur, 8.M., to answer for their conduct His Worship, after accepting p}eas of guilty and hearing a statement by the nub-inspector, said the woTst fea-Eurt of the case was "this gang business." He ordered each to receive six strokes of tflie birch rod, directed Archer to pay 10s 6d, and the other boys, whose manes are Pearce, Coe, and Petten- [ g«H, ,3s each.