THE POSTAL CONGRESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13202, 13 June 1906, Page 8

THE POSTAL CONGRESS.

SIB JOSEPH WARD'S SPEECH.

REJECTION OF UNIVERSAL PENNY "POSTAGE. [FROM OCR OWN* ' CORIIESPONDE.N'T.] London*, .May 4. Ax last Saturday's meeting of the Postal Congress, held in Rome,, a resolution in favour ©f universal penny postage was moved by Sir Joseph Ward, as Postmaster-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 large from a national, a commercial, an educational and a 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 nationalities more freely to communicate with each other, and would thus, .from the national standpoint,. promote a greater spread of knowledge. That, together 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 would desire. He firmly believed that the universal penny post would in a short time 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 1892 the opportunity presented itself to him in his official position as Minister ill charge of the Postal Department to have legislation carried through Parliament authorising the Governor in Council to establish penny postage within or outside New ,Zealand when deemed advisable. On January 1, 1901, he had the pleasure of announcing penny postage from New Zealand to every part of the 'civilised world., New Zealand, when instituting the penny rate, invited every country in the world to accept its letters at that rate, and also agreed to receive letters at a penny from every country desiring to send them at the same rate. The result ; s that New Zealand has now about the widest rang© of penny postage in the world, over 100 administrations in other countries having agreed to accept its letters at a penny and to deliver them without surcharge. He was glad to be able 10 state in Rome that the Italian Government was one of those 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 cordially wished that this rate were reciprocal. Some countries had also agreed to send their letters to New Zealand at a penny. • After summarising the favourable results in New Zealand of former reductions, Sir Joseph concluded by saying he 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 over-riding 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 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 part of the Postal Union without restriction. The trend toward universal penny postage throughout the world was distinctly marked. He should not bj surprised to find before the next Congress met that every,: civilised country had established at least inland penny postage. Since the Postal Union in 1874 fixed the oversea rate of postage at 25 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 the world, and in mail transit generally, yet there had been no alteration in the Postal Union rates for letters for 32 years. He had endeavoured to place before the Congress, the views of si 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, do-, mesticallv, 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 the magnificent work which postal administrations, especially of those countries within the union, had carried out, and he trusted that the wisdom and discernment which had, characterised the.policy of postal progress would enable the delegates, in the expressive language of the Secretary 1 of State for Italy at the inauguration of the Congress, to earn the distinction of being in postal matters progressive " citizens of I the 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! voting in favour of it being Egypt and the United States. .