Downing-street, 21st September, 1852 Sir, — I am directed by Secretary Sir Jolin Pakington to acquaint you, foithe information of the Postmaster-General, that he hag received numerous applications, both from the Colonies and from this country, praying that the benefits of a cheap and uniform postage may be extended to Colonial communication. I am desired to inform you that Sir John Pakington concurs with the petitioners as to the advantages which would result from the concession, and that he is favourably disposed towards it if the arrangement can be effected without serious difficulty : and I am to request that you will move the Earl of Hardwicke to favour Sir John Pakington with his opinion on the subject I am also directed to acquaint you, that owing to the large and increasing amount of emigration to the British Colonies, and to desire of persons who prosper there to send home money in order to assist their relations to follow them from this country, the want has grown up of an opportnnity for numerous small remittances from the Colonies. From North America they are made to a very largo amount indeed, which was estimated at more than £1,000,000 sterling in the past year, through the intervention of private firms; but those firms complain much of the trouble and responsibility which tlicy involve, and in some cases where houses of inferior respectability may be employed the poor are liable to be defrauded of the benefit intended for them. There can be no djubt that the practice on the part of persons who have improved their condition by emigration, of sending home money to enable their friends to follow them is highly laudable, and that it is deserving of encouragement both in a moral and social point of view. In Australia, however, the habit has not yet become nearly so general as in North America, and it is not improbable that, to some considerable extent it is checked by the want of convenient and readily intelligible means of sending home the requisite funds. ' Under these circumstances, the question has been proposed whether it might not be possible to extend to Colonial correspondence the system of making payments by Post Office Orders, which lias been successful in this country ; and lam to request that you will bring the subject, with the foregoing statement, under the notice of the Earl of Hardwicke, and will inform me whether the suggestion apbears to his Lordship one which could be entertained, and rendered fit for practical adoption. If this result could be secured Sir John Pakington believes it would be a great boon to the Colonies and to the humbler classes in this country. I have, &c., (Signed) H. MerivalE. Lieutenant-Colonel Maberly. General Post Office, Bth October, 1852. Sir,— The Postmaster-General has had under consideration your letter of the 21st ultimo, and with reference to that portion of it which relates to the proposed extension of a cheap and uniform postage to letters transmitted between the United Kingdom and the several British Colonies, I am directed by his Lordship to transmit to you, for the information of Sir John Pakington, the enclosed copy of a letter which he addressed to the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury on this subject in April last, with a copy of the reply of their Lordships; and I have to state that the Postmaster-General will be glad to know whether the measure proposed in this correspondence is such as Sir John Pakington has in view. If so, the Postmaster-Genera] will be prepared to renew his application to the Treasury on this subject. I have, &c., (Signed) S, Tilley, Assistant Secretary. H. Merivale, Esq.