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directed by the Postmaster-General to acquaint you, for the information of the Secretary of Stato for the Colonies, that the question has already been represented to the Treasury. The loss to British revenue, which would be involved in the establishment of the system, is estimated at about 500,000l. a year, of which no part would be recovered by an increase in the amount of correspondence, as there would be no profit ou the letters sent at the lower

rate.

In view of these financial considerations, in which the Lords of the Treasury have expressed their concurrence, the Postmaster-General regrets that the British delegates will not, under present conditions, be able to support the proposal of the New Zealand Government. I am, &c.,

14688.

No. 4.

H. BUXTON FORMAN.

The SECRETARY OF STATE to the GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND.

(General.)

Downing Street, May 2, 1906.

MY LORD,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's telegram of the 23rd April 1906, stating that your Government and the people of New Zealand would be much pleased if the Imperial Government could see their way to support penny postage through the British represen- tative at the Postal Conference.

I have to transmit to you for communication to your Ministers a copy of correspondence† with the General Post Office on the subject, and to express my regret that under the circumstances I should not feel justified in pressing for the support of His Majesty's Government in this matter.

I have, &c.,

ELGIN.

135

to you, to be laid before the Postmaster-General, copies (1) of a Resolution to be submitted by the Government of New Zealand to the Colonial Con- ference on the subject of universal penny postage, and (2) of a Resolution to be submitted by the Government of Cape Colony on the subject of Imperial cable communications.

2. I am to enclose, for the general information of the Postmaster-General, a print of a despatch to the self-governing colonies,* dealing generally with the subjects to be discussed and method of procedure at the Conference. From paragraphs 16 to 18 of this despatch, Mr. Buxton will see that Lord Elgin is of the opinion that certain of the subjects may be most advan- tageously discussed in the first instance separately as between the Department of the Imperial Government and the representative of the colony or colonies mainly interested. Among these subjects are the questions raised in the two resolutions of which copies are enclosed in this letter, and Lord Elgin trusts that Mr. Buxton may be able to concur in the proposed separate discussion of them, details of which could be arranged later on.

3. The question of a universal penny postage is referred to in the General Post Office letter of the 27th of April last and previous correspon- dence, and Lord Elgin apprehends that the difficulties in the way of the New Zealand proposal there indicated still hold good. It would, however, be useful if a general statement on the subject could be furnished for communication to the representative of New Zealand on his arrival in this country.

4. I am to observe, with reference to the third paragraph of the letter from this Department, of the 27th of November‡ already mentioned, that on further consideration the Government of Cape Colony have decided to make no reference to the question of wireless telegraphy, and to restrict themselves to the resolution now enclosed, in regard to which I am to say that Lord Elgin will be glad if Mr. Buxton will give it consideration from the postal point of view. In this case, also, it would much facilitate progress if a memorandum could be furnished for communication to the representative of Cape Colony on his arrival.

14688.

No. 5.

am,

&c.,

H. W. JUST.

COLONIAL OFFICE to the IIIGII COMMISSIONER FOR NEW

ZEALAND.

Downing Street, May 2, 1906.

SIR,

I AM directed by the Earl of Elgin to transmit to you for your infor- mation a copy of correspondencet with the Governor of New Zealand with regard to a request from his Government for the support of the Imperial Government to their proposal at the Postal Union Congress for universal penny postage.

I am, &c.,

850.

SIR,

No. 6.

C. P. LUCAS.

COLONIAL OFFICE to GENERAL POST OFFICE.

Downing Street, January 15, 1907. WITH reference to my letter of the 27th of November and to your letter of the 13th of August,§ I am directed by the Earl of Elgin to transmit

• No. 1.

† Nos. 2 and 3.

§ 29893/06 and 29893/06; not printed,

Nos. 1 aud 4.

Enclosure 1 in No. 6.

NEW ZEALAND.

X.-International Penny Postage.

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 recom- mends to His Majesty's Government the advisability 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 that rate.

[Cd. 3337.]

↑ No. 3.

29993/06; not printed.

I 4

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.8

Reference :-

+885

17 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO