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addressed to this Administration by the Administrations of a certain number of countries belonging to the British Empire, it had been decided to extend the agreement in question to include correspondence exchanged between Australia and these countries, I have the honour to inform you that authority has just been given to extend at once the above agreement to the undermentioned countries :— British Central Africa (Pro- India, St. Helena, tectorate), Jamaica, Seychelles, British East Africa (Pro- Labuan, Sierra Leone, tectorate), Leeward Islands, Somaliland, Canada, Lord Howe Island, Straits Settlement, Ceylon, Malta, Transvaal, Cyprus, Natal, Trinidad and Tobago, Egypt, New Guinea, British, Tristan da Cunha, Falkland Islands, Nigeria, Northern, Turks Island and Cayman, Fiji, Nigeria, Southern, Uganda, Gambia, Norfolk Island, United Kingdom, Gibraltar, Orange Eiver Colony, Weihaiwei, Gold Coast, Rhodesia, Windward Islands. Hong Kong, and British agencies in China, I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Rufft, Director. [P.O. 07/820(2).]

No. 19. [Extract from the New Zealand Times, Wellington, of the 11th May, 1907.] Universal Penny Postage. [Telegram.] London, 10th May. The Imperial Conference resumed its sittings yesterday. Mr. Sydney Buxton, British Post-master-General, was among the delegates present. On the motion of Sir Joseph Ward the following resolution was adopted: — " That in view of the enormous social and political advantages, and the very material commercial advantages to accrue from a system of international penny postage, and of the further fact that any depression in postal revenue resulting from the adoption of such a system has now been proved to be only temporary in duration and inconsiderable in amount, this Conference recommends to His Majesty's Government the advisability, if and when suitable opportunity occurs, of approaching the Governments of those States, members of the Universal Postal Union, which have hitherto declined to agree either to an interchange of letters at a one-penny rate for the minimum rate or to the receipt of letters from abroad at the same rate, with a view to a more general, and if possible a universal, adoption of the penny rate." In support of his resolution Sir Joseph AVard argued that the Post Office was not a taxingmachine. Approval by the Conference of universal penny postage would favourably influenceother countries. It was absurd that a letter from New Zealand to England could be carried for a penny, while a letter across the English Channel cost 2|d. New Zealand's and Canada's experience showed that the loss in instituting penny postage was recouped within three years. Mr. Buxton favoured universal penny postage, though he was unable to say when England would be able to give effect to it, as if put into operation it would involve a reduction in revenue of .£450,000, in addition to £190,000 per annum recently conceded. Sir Joseph Ward said he feared some fine morning Britain would awake and find that America and France or America and Germany had entered into a subsidiary agreement for penny postage. He urged Mr. Buxton to be ready for a reform which must come. [P.O. 07/820.]

No. 20. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Director, International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union, Berne. S IBI General Post Office, Wellington, 31st May, 1907. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th ultimo, forwarding copy of letter from the Postmaster-General's Department of the Commonwealth of Australia, notifying that the arrangement under which that Administration accepted without surcharge from the United Kingdom letters prepaid Id. per £ oz. and passed letters in the opposite direction bearing 2d. postage had been extended to include correspondence exchanged between Australia and British Central Africa Protectorate, British East Africa Protectorate, and certain other countries belonging to the British Empire. I have, &c, D. Eobertson, Secretary. The Director, International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union, Berne. [P.O. 07/820(2).]