F.—3.

No. 52. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Peemieb. (Telegram.) London, 24th September, 1900. Dniveesal penny postage : —Stamp colour : Shall I decide without furiher reference to? I recommend accordingly.

No. 53. The Hon. the Peemier to the Agent-Geneeal. (Telegram.) Wellington, 25th September, 1900. Penny postage-stamps : Arrange for six heavy arrows in margin sheets to facilitate division into sixties. Confer with Imperial Post Office.

No. 54. The Agent-Genebal to the Hon. the Peemiee. (Telegram.) London, 27th September, 1900. PENNY-postage message of 25th received. Ido not see the necessity for conferring with Imperial Post Office. There is no difficulty.

No. 55. The Hon. the Peemiee to the Agent-Geneeal. (Telegram.) Wellington, 27th September, 1900. Penny postage-stamp must be printed in carmine, same as our present penny stamp.

No. 56. The SuPEEiNTENDENT of Fobeign Mails, Washington, to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Wellington. Post Office Department, Office of Foreign Mails, Washington, D.C., Sib,— 2nd October, 1900. I have the honour, by direction of the Postmaster-General, to acknowledge the receipt of your lettter of the 30th August last, confirming your telegram of the 18th of the same month, announcing that New Zealand would introduce universal penny postage from the Ist January next, and, in connection therewith, stating that the cordial relations which for so many years have subsisted between New Zealand and the United States lead your Administration to hope that this Department will see its way to grant the same privileges to New Zealand in regard to the exchange of letters at the penny rate as are at present accorded to the Dominion of Canada. In reply, I am to inform you that, however much the Postmaster-General may be in sympathy with your views respecting universal penny postage, and especially respecting penny postage between New Zealand and the United States, yet, under the legislation in force in this country, it is impracticable to carry those views into operation as regards any country the mails for which are necessarily conveyed from this country by sea. I am, &c, N. M. Beooks, Superintendent of Foreign Mails. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington.

No. 57. The Deputy Postmastee-Genebal, Sydney, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) 3rd October, 1900. When do you propose introducing inland penny postage ? Beply.

No. 57a. The Secbetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmastee-Genebal, Sydney. (Telegram.) Wellington, 3rd October, 1900. Penny postage within and beyond New Zealand Ist January next.

No. 58. The Agent-Genebal to the Hon. the Peemiek. (Telegram.) London, 11th October, 1900. Assubed by Imperial Post Office that on Ist January postage will be reduced to one penny the half-ounce each way between New Zealand and all parts of the British Empire included in penny scheme. Steps will be taken to notify change to all British possessions concerned, as well as Postal Union, in due time.

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