POPE'S POST OFFICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20362, 17 September 1929, Page 14

POPE'S POST OFFICE.

** VATICAN INNOVATION. SPECIAL RATES ARRANGED. By virtue of a special convention between the Italian Government and the Holy See, which was signed on July 29 last, the Pope's own post office was opened on August 1. Sets of commemorative stamps were sold to the public at the fixed ration of four to each applicant. The terms of the convention are far more prosaic than rumour had announced. In the first flush of excitement following the signature of the Latcran Treaty in February last, many serious peoplo firmlv believed that a Papal aeroplane would rise from some special spot .in Vatican territory and carry Pius XL's correspondence abroad. As a matter of fact F the Italian Government will send it off in very ordinary trains and from their own General Post Office in Rome. They will be taken thither in sealed bags, which, however, will have to be opened and sorted when they contain mails for Italy. The Pope's private correspondence will be franked, as were letters sent by English members of Parliament previous to the introduction of penny postage. This will moan considerable saving for the Vatican postal budget, for the Pope sends letters to his bishops and representatives in every part of the world in large numbers, Letters addressed to the Pope personally will also be franked. The Italian Government has made special terms for letters and parcels destined for the Vatican State from Italy, and vice versa. The rates are slightly higher than for Italian inland postage, but considerably lower that rates to and from foreign States. In this way the Italian Government will be in some measure reimbursed for the expense of equipping a office inside the Vatican State, which it undertakes to bear, and residents in the Vatican State can hardly complain at paying more for their stamps since they eni'oy fiscal privileges not accorded to the rest of Italians. They will pay no duty upon parcels delivered within tho Vatican State, and it is said that tho OPope has decided not to levy any taxes. So far, no special convention has been signed with regard to tho cable, wireless and telegraph service in the Papal State. But they have been working for somo time and complete secrecy is assured bv -virtue of the Lateran Treaty. A trusted Italian offical, who worked for years at San Silvestro, Rome's central telegraph office, and then for the Italo-Radio ser"vice, is in charge of this department. As the Vatican State has not its own wires or cables, despatches must go through the Italian lines; but cipher can be used for official correspondence. In fl, short timo a wireless forwarding station will bo (equipped.