25

F.—6

In making these increases, the Treasury is evidently tailing Dacli on tne computations maae cy the General Post Office in Memo. No. 10, given at page 12 of a paper entitled "A Brief Account of the Formation of the Universal Postal "Union," &c, copy of which was transmitted to you with Mr. Kennaway's memo, of the 16th October, 1891. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. W. B. Pekceval.

Enclosure in No. 45. The Secbetaey, General Post Office, London, to the Agent-Genebal. Sic,— General Post Office, London, E.C., 13th April, 1893. You have doubtless been informed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies of the result of the further representations made by you through him to the Treasury upon the subject of the packet service which the New Zealand Government maintains to and from San Francisco—viz., that their Lordships still regard the circumstances of the case as not justifying a departure from their previous decision, but have agreed to increase the payment for the Pacific transit of the outward mails from lOfr. per kilogramme of letters and post-cards, and 50c. per kilogramme of other articles, to lOfr. 12c. and 67c. respectively, with a reservation of their right to revert to the rate now generally accepted by countries in the Union after the date of the new Postal Union Congress, when it will, of course, be open to the New Zealand Government to make any proposal it may think fit for a change in the practice as regards the apportionment of the rates paid for sea-transit. A letter in this sense has been addressed to the Postmaster-General of New Zealand, requesting that these higher rates may be claimed from the Ist November last. With regard to your claim that the payment for the Pacific transit of outward mails up to the end of the period regulated by the special understanding should be at the rate of 12s. a pound, I have to remind you that the Treasury authority was for payment of a rate equal to what the colony paid the packet contractors, but not exceeding 12s. a pound. In a letter from Sir Francis Bell, dated the 17th November, 1891, it was stated that the New Zealand House of Eepresentatives had approved the offer of payment for the San Francisco service at the rate of 11s. per pound of letters, and in the New Zealand Post Office Eeport for 1891, issued last August, it is stated (page xv.) that these terms were accepted by the contractors. On these grounds the rate of 12s. a pound claimed by New Zealand in the accounts with this department was reduced to 11s., but the Colonial Postmaster-General has now been informed that, if the higher rate was actually paid by the colony, the accounts can, of course, be adjusted accordingly for the period during which the Treasury has authorized the continuance of payment at special rates—that is, from the Ist November, 1891, to the 31st of October, 1892. I am, &c, H. BUXTON FOEMAN, W. B. Perceval, Esq., Agent-General for New Zealand. For the Secretary.

No. 46. The Hon. the Postmastee-Genebal to the Secebtaey, General Post Office, London. Post Office and Telegraph Department, General Post Office, "Wellington, g lKj _ 12th June, 1893. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th April last, notifying the decision of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majes'ty's Treasury to increase the payment for the Pacific transit of the outward British mails by the San Francisco mail-service from lOfr. per kilogramme of letters and post-cards, and 50c. per kilogramme of other articles, to lOfr. 12c. and 67c. respectively, with the reservation, however, to revert to the rate now generally accepted bycountries in the Postal Union after the date of the new Congress. I also learn from your letter that payment for the Pacific transit of the British outward mails for the period from the Ist November, 1891, to the 31st October, 1892, will be made at the rate of 12s. instead of 11s. per pound of letters, should the higher rate have been paid by this colony to the contractors. In thanking you for having recognised the claims put forward by this colony, I have to inform you that progress-payments for the contract period ended the 24th November last have been made to the contractors at the rate of 12s. per pound of letters. It is therefore assumed that the higher rate may now be claimed, and that the accounts for the period from the Ist November, 1891, to the 31st October, 1892, will be adjusted accordingly. I have, &c, W. Gbay, The Secretary, General Post Office, London. For the Postmaster-General.

No. 47. The Hon. the Peemiee to the Agent-General. g IB) _ Premier's Office, Wellington, 13th June, 1893. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th April, enclosing copy of one which you had received from the Secretary, General Post Office, London, in which you were informed that, while not departing from its decision in respect of the apportionment of the expense of the San Francisco service, the Imperial Treasury had agreed to increase the payment for the Pacific transit from lOfr. per kilogramme of letters and post-cards, and 50c. of other articles, to lOfr. 12c. and 67c. respectively. 4—F. 6.