P.—7

2

PENNY POSTAGE.

No. 1. Reductions in Postage. [Extract from Financial Statement, 1907.] The marked success of the reductions in postage and telegram rates during the last few years warrants further concessions. I therefore propose to make the following reductions in rates': To reduce the postage on inland post-cards from Id. to id., thus bringing the post within the reach of the humblest member of the community. To reduce the fee for registered letters from 3d. to 2d. At present far too many letters with valuable enclosures are posted unregistered. To further reduce the inland-letter postage, making the rate Id. for the first 40z., and fd. for each 2 oz. thereafter, instead of Id. for each 4 oz. as at present. To reduce the postage on magazines to Id. per pound, instead of Id. for 8 oz. This concession, it is hoped, will be a great convenience to country residents. ********* The reduction of the post-card rate will be made a few days before Christmas, and the other concessions will come into force on the Ist Januarj' next. k*3333333333333»^kMMMß^^^Bßk»3«kMk4k»k333»«3^kkJlk3Bi

No. 2. The Hon. the Postmastbb-Gbnbral, Wellington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, London. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 15th August, 1907. I have the honour to refer to our interview, at which the reduction in the postage-rate on newspapers and periodicals between the United Kingdom and New Zealand was discussed. It was agreed that the matter should stand over for the time being. I now venture to express the hope that the result of your Department's experience of the reduced rate of Id. per pound on newspapers, magazines, and trade journals, forwarded by direct steamer from the United Kingdom to Canada, has been such as to warrant your deciding on the extension, from an early date, of a similar concession to New Zealand. This colony enjoys direct communication with Great Britain by means of the steamers of the New Zealand Shipping and the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Companies; and should you see your way to approve of the application of the cheap rate to newspapers, &c, addressed to New Zealand, it could be made a condition of their acceptance that they should be despatched by those steamers only, as is at present done with parcels. I have, &c, J. G. Ward, Postmaster-General. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, London. [P.O. 07/1433.]

No. 3. The Secretary, General Post Office, London, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Sir, — General Post Office, London, 21st September. ISD7. I am directed by the Postmaster-General to transmit to you for your information copies of the instructions which have just been issued to offices of exchange in this country making up mails for places in the Postal Union or receiving mails from such places. Copies of the documents referred to in the second paragraph of these instructions are already in your possession. I am to take this opportunity to enclose a list of the British colonies, &c, which have agreed to a rate of postage of Id. per ounce for letters passing between their offices and other offices included in the Imperial penny-postage system on and after the Ist October next. The Postmaster-General has not yet been informed of the decision arrived at by the Post Office of the Commonwealth of Australia;* but he has no reason to doubt that letters addressed to those territories from places included in the Imperial penny-postage system which are prepaid at the rate of Id. per ounce will be delivered without charge. It has been definitely ascertained that this course will be followed by the British colonies in South Africa although the rate for letters posted in those colonies will remain Id. per ounce.* I am to add that the Post Office of Egypt has accepted the rate of Id. per ounce for letters passing in either direction. . I have, &c, E. W. Farnall. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. * See following letter.'No. 4. [P.0.|07/2905.]