PENNY POST ACCEPTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18531, 16 October 1923, Page 9

PENNY POST ACCEPTED.

AUSTRALIA'S ATTITUDE. • REASONS FOR REVISION. FEAR OF PRINTED MATTER. Having examined the complete scale of New Zealand postal charges introduced on October 1, the Australian PostmasterGeneral, Mr. Gibson, has decided to reverse his previous decision not to accept letters bearing tho 'Dominion penny postage, states the Melbourne Argus of October' 5. Mr. Gibson conferred with the ActingPrime Minister, Dr. Page, on tho matter and also considered the views of the officials of the Postal Department, who, it is believed, strongly urged that the New Zealand rate should not be accepted. When Mr. Gibson previously decided not to- accept the new rate, he was absent from Melbourne, and consequently he did not have access to tho official files relating to the matter. / . One of the important reasons which influenced Mr. Gibson in deciding to reverse his decision was that tho Commonwealth did not refuse to accept the New Zealand lid postage when the Commonwealth rate was 2d. The reduction in the New Zealand postage was made on February .1, which was several days before the Bruce-Page Ministry assumed office. It was some time after the new Ministry was in office that was decided to reduce the Australian letter postage to an ounce. ... "I have examined the relationship of the New Zealand l|d postage to the Commonwealth 2d rate," said Mr. Gibson, ""and I-think we can reasonably accept the Id postage. It is quite logical in the present case to accept the same conditions as obtained previously. Under the terms of . the International Postage Convention it is possible for any two countries to enter into an arrangement for accepting postal charges quite independently of the other countries represented in the Postal Union. Such arrangements, of course, can be made only with the consent of the countries concerned. The New Zealand penny postage applies only to inland postage in the Dominion, and to countries in the British 'Empire. I have investigated the complete scale of postal charges, which operated in New Zealand on October 1, and have found that the . only alterations made are . in respect to letters and postcards. The rates for commercial papers, books, and other postal matter are the same as they were previously. I have been a little apprehensive that a quantity of printed matter might have been posted in New Zealand for distribution in tho Commonwealth." In commenting on the altered decision the Argus says: Reconsideration by the Postmaster-General of his original intention, has saved Australia from the charge of being churlish and unneighbourly. With a commendable regard for the public good that might well be an' example to the Commonwealth, the Government of the Dominion has reduced postage within the Empire to one penny. 1 The other parts of the _ Empire, with the exception of Australia, have readily agreed to co-oper-ate/ with. New Zealand in this enterprise. Australia had no valid reason to offer for turning the cold shoulder upofi ; her nearest. neighbour. The postal authorities could not say that cheaper New Zealand postage would operate to .the financial disadvantage of the Commonwealth; in fact, if the assumption that a letter despatched means a letter returned be correct, we will be move likely '.to. 'gain.; Still, in a cabbed spirit, they advised against comnlving with the request of New. Zealand. The Postmaster-Gener*!' has acted .wisely in abandoning this petty position, and it is to be hoped that the first unfavourable impressions created in New Zealand when the earlier policy was announced, will be speedily removed by his decision.