Penny Postage.

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9832, 3 January 1901, Page 1

Penny Postage.

♦ • ■ (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, January 1. | The new century was ushered in jwith greatei enthusiasm than usual. Denie crowds packed the.: streets until' an early .hour, chiefly attracted by the brilliant illuminations, at the Post Office to celebrate the inauguration of * the universal penny postage. At 12.30 the Executive met and approved of the regulations connected with the penny postage and other postal and telegraph reforms' which' come 'into' operation- to-' day. , , The opportunity was taken by the postal and telegraph* officials through** out the colony to present the Hon, J« G. Ward with a gold medallion and address as a souvenir of the inaugural tion at the universal penny postage in! New Zealand. The medallion took the; snape of a shield, having on its obverse the representation of the new penny stamp on a scroll, above which is the inscription "1901, a new era." The address expressed the esteem in which the - Postmaster General was held by the officers in the Department. The cost was defrayed by penny subscript tioris. Hon. Mr Ward in replying said that the occasion upon which they met would' be recorded in history as a memorable' one, and the souvenir with arhich he! ' was presented would identify him* as a: Postmaster General of .a colony at.ouej of the most important epochs in its' history Since he' was Postmasterv General in 1891 he had worked in** cessantly for penny postage, and its inauguration today was the fulfilment ' of one of his first political ambitions/ The, reform meant a direct loss of £80,000, but he gave it forth as his opinion that concessions would, be I fully recouped in a few years, even I were it not so greatly increased the 5 conveniences which the users of the Postal Department would enjoy would entirely outweigh any temporary financial loss. Though the mother country was .before them in reaped, to penny postage,' New Zealand * was the first country in the world thataf one stroke inaugurated universal penny: postage. He regretted „ that repre% sentations to Australia to allow New Zealand's penny 'postage system to extend to their country has not so far been successful.' He had received the following cable from the Hon. Mr Barton, Sydney: "No Federal Post-, master General for some' time yet. Your present proposal therefore is solely tor separate States." Mr Crick, PostniasteriGeneral of Sydney, cabled : "Regret I cannot disturb previous decision, but in the event of any letters having been posted in Now Zealand in expectation of coming through for a penny these will be delivered. You will therefore notify your public that the postage to. Aasi tralia will be twopence: -We have informed the other ■ colonies in the foregoing terms, .but all those -"Irpumtrations heard from so far are in favor of a conference and recommendations'being adopted." Mr Ward, continuing, said he had every hope that the public ■ spiritednessof the new Federal Govern mentof Australia would in time prompt them to comply with New Z.oa)«B.o!'| i-epvewß^tiw*