The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1889. POST CARDS AND LATE LETTER FEES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2095, 27 March 1889, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1889. POST CARDS AND LATE LETTER FEES.

It will be remembered that we recently commented upon the regulations obtaining with regard to post cards and the postage of v late " letters. The subject has been bronght under the notice of the Postmaster-General by Major Steward, M.H.R., who is m receipt of replies to the following effeot :— -As regards post cards, bir H. Atkinson says " The regulations, which ia all important particulars fellow those of the Imperial Post Office say—' Nothing whatever may be attached to the card. . . . and if this condition be infringed the card will be charged one penny on delivery.' An exception, however, is made m the case of post cards nsed for receipt purposes, to the back of which a receipt stamp may be affixed. The enclosed post card was, therefore, correctly taxed." The card referred to had the printed copy of an advertisement posted on at the back, and it therefore appearß that while the advertisement might have been printed on the card itself it was not within the regulations to paste on apiece of printed paper. This, it seems to ns, is cutting it rather fine, but it as well that, the matter should be understood. With respect to late letter fees the Postmaster-General writes—-" You appear to have been misinformed as to the application of the rule. It is not the caße that the late fee for places beyond the colony is double the postage affixed. Only a single rate is payable. The late fee is an additional single rate of postage, with the exception that, for letters posted for delivery within the colony a uniform charge of one penny per letter, whether for town or country delivery, is made." It is thus admitted that the " late fee" for letters addressed tp places beyond the colony is an additional single rate of postage, from which it follows that while a letter addressed to any place m New Zealand can be posted m the letter-box of the mail trains, if one penny extra postage be attached a letter

addressed to the Australian .polonies must carry 2d extra postage, and one addressed to the United Kingdom 6d extra. As iji any case the train only carries the letter to a place within the colony we fail to see why its ultimate destination should affect the amount of the late fee, and certainly think that the late fee should be a penny all round. JSowever, the departmental regulation is as above stated.