AUSTRALIAN POSTAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11540, 27 November 1900, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN POSTAGE.

It will seem rather an anomaly,' after January 1, 1901, when we shall be able to send a letter to Canada, to the United Kingdom, an 1 to South Africa for one penny, but shall still require to put two v>enny stamps upon a duplicate letter going to Sydney. But such anomalies are inevitable during transition periods, and for the past year or two the postal arrangements of the world have been transitional indeed. While we still pay twopence for carrying a letter between Auckland and adjacent post offices, the Londoner sends his lettei to Vancouver for half the price. After New Year, at present arrangements, we shall pay one penny to England, twopence to Australia, and twopence halfpenny to Samoa. But there are hopeful indications that the Australians will not long stay outside the " Penny Postal Union." They are doubtless hampered by the exceptional cost of their internal system, which has to collect and deliver over huge tracts of sparsely-settled *»jr»d little-traversed country. It does rot seem any more . costly to convey a letter from the populous Eastern coast to any part of England than from an inland station in Queensland to an isolated goldfield in West Australia. However, the question of the future postal rate of the Federation is now being considered by a conference of Australian Post-masters-General. New South Wales strongly advocates a reduction of the Federation rate to one penny and a joining of the "Penny Postal Union"as a worthy postal celebration of the birth of the Commonwealth. The time is somewhat short for this to be arranged by I New Year, but even that, is not impossible. Failing this, we think it can only be a question of time when the anomaly referred t« will be removed as far as Australia is concerned. With the entry of Australia to the' arrangement, one penny will carry a letter practically throughout the British world— instance of how kindredness of feeling proves itself, even without any common legislative and administrative organisation.