9

F.—B

APPENDIX A. Dbaft ob Australasian Postal Convention submitted to the Conference by Heads op Departments. AgreemMit regulating the Exchange of Correspondence between the Australasian Colonies. Article I. —There shall be an exchange of corresrjondence between the Australasian Colonies, one with the other, comprising letters, letter-cards, post-cards, newspapers, printed matter of every kind, packets, as per definition appended to Article 11, parcels, and such other postal articles as may be mutually agreed upon, originating in any one colony and addressed to and deliverable in another. Article 2. —The rates of postage to be collected in each colony on intercolonial correspondence shall be as follow, viz. : Letters, 2d. per ioz.; letter-cards, Is. 3d. per dozen, face value Id.; postcards, Id. each ; books not exceeding 40z., Id., and for every additional 4oz. or portion of 4oz. (up to 31b.), Id.; packets not exceeding 20z., Id., and for every additional 2oz. or fraction of 2oz. (up to lib.), Id.; newspapers, as hereinafter denned, not exceeding lOoz. in weight, fd. each, and if over lOoz., |d. for each additional lOoz. or fraction thereof (bulk parcels of newspapers of the same issue, posted by the publisher or newsvendor, and which have been registered or accepted by the Postmaster-General, Id. per pound ; no parcel containing less than four newspapers to pass at bulk rates). Eegistration-fee, 3d. in addition to ordinary postage. Parcel-post—For each parcel not exceeding lib., Bd. ; each additional pound or fraction thereof, 6d. But any two or more colonies may make special arrangements amongst themselves. Article 3. —Wholly-unpaid and insufficiently-prepaid letters may be forwarded from one colony to another ; but packets prepaid less than one rate, or unpaid or insufficiently-prepaid newspapers, shall not be sent. Article 4. —Correspondence forwarded as fully prepaid from one colony to another shall be delivered free of all charge whatsoever, but wholly-unpaid and insufficiently-prepaid correspondence so forwarded shall be charged on delivery with double the deficient postage due thereon. Article 3. —No accounts shall be kept between the postal departments of the several colonies enumerated, on the intercolonial letters, post-cards, &c, exchanged between them, but each shall retain to its own use the whole of the postage and fees which it may collect. Article 6. —On correspondence despatched to places beyond Australasia the despatching colony shall pay to each colony through which such correspondence shall be conveyed by rail the sum of 4d. per pound of letters and 4s. per hundredweight of other articles. Article 7. —Prepayment of postage on every description of correspondence shall be effected only by means of postage-stamps valid in the country of origin, or (in cases where the despatching Postmaster is out of stamps) by money, except where the laws or regulations of any colony permit the payment in money of the postage on large numbers of circulars or newspapers forwarded by one person. Article B. —Letters which from any cause cannot be delivered shall be mutually returned, tied in a separate bundle labelled " dead letters," to the respective colonies of origin, without charge, monthly, or as frequently as the regulations of the respective colonies will permit; but newspapers and all other articles of printed matter, which from any cause cannot be delivered, shall be retained at the disposition of the receiving colony. Article 9. —Wholly-unpaid and insufficiently-prepaid correspondence shall be stamped in black ink on the address side with the letter " T," and the amount of postage chargeable under Article 4 shall also be expressed in plain figures in black ink on the face thereof. Article 10. —The following shall be considered as a newspaper, and be allowed to pass as such, viz. : — (a.) A publication consisting wholly or in great part of political or other news, or of articles relating thereto, or to other current topics, with or without advertisements. (b.) It must be printed and published in numbers at intervals not exceeding one month, (c.) The full title and date of publication must be printed at the top of the first page, and the whole or part of the title and the date at the top of every subsequent page. This regulation applies also to " Tables of contents " and " Indices." (d.) A supplement must consist wholly or in great part of matter like that of a newspaper, or of advertisements, printed on paper stitched or unstitched ; or wholly or in part of engravings, prints, or lithographs illustrative of articles in the paper. It must in every case be published with the paper, and have its title and date printed at the top of every page, or, if it consists of engravings, prints, or lithographs, at the top of every sheet or side. Handbills or advertisement-sheets are not supplements. (c.) Collected numbers of any publication registered as a newspaper shall not be transmitted through the post as a single newspaper, but postage will be charged on each number of issue comprised therein. (/.) Every newspaper may be sent with or without a cover, and must be open at both ends; and there shall not be in or upon any such newspaper or the cover thereof any communication, character, figure, letter, or number (other than the words " newspaper only," or a mark to indicate any report, article, or paragraph therein, the printed title of such newspaper, the printed names, occupations, and places of business of the printer, publisher, and vendor thereof, the name, occupation, and address of the person to whom it is sent, and the name of the person who sends the same); nor shall anythingjbe enclosed in or with or accompany such newspaper or cover, otherwise such newspaper shall not be transmitted or delivered. Any publication fulfilling the above conditions can, upon payment of a fee of 55., be registered at the General Post Office of the several administrative parties to this Convention for circulation as a newspaper, and also for transmission to places abroad, and unless so registered it cannot be transmitted as a newspaper: Provided, however, that any newspaper printed, published, and registered in any colony party to this Convention may be posted as a newspaper in any of the other colonies parties to the Convention. 2—F. 8.