POSTAL UNION.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18365, 24 April 1925, Page 13

POSTAL UNION.

REDUCTIONS IN RATES. REPORT TO MINISTER. (special to "the fbxss.") WELLINGTON. April 23. The Secretary of the Tost and Telegraph Department, who attended the recent Tostal Union Congress at Stockholm, has submitted a report on the proceedings to the Minister. The following arc extracts: — Dominion Votes. Lver sinee the Union was formed attempts have been made at each Congress to deprive the British Dominions of the right to vote individually or to restrict their voting power. It has been claimed in some quarters that the Domnioiis side always with Great Britain, and that their right to vote simply increased the voting power of the Mother Country. For many years the right of Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, and South Africa to vote had been given by a special clause in the Convention, but unfortunately this clause was always subject to attack. International Postage Rates. There was a full diseussion on this subject, and from the decisions arrived at New Zealand will be in a position to reduce the international postage rate on letters from 2Jd for the first ounce and lid for each succeeding ounce, to 2d for the first ounce and Id for each succeeding ounce. I will give this question consideration, and will at a later date make a recommendation to you. Transit Charges. The- question of transit rate (i.e., charges made by one country for conveying over its territory mail matter from, a second country for a third country) lias always been one of the most contentious and difficult matters requiring the attention of Congress. On this occasion countries dealing with only limited quantities of transit mail matter made very strenuous efforts to secure the abolition of transit charges. The adoption of such a proposal would be. most unfair to many countries, although a strong appeal was made by the Australian delegate for the maintenance of the status quo. After a long discussion a scale of reduced rates was agreed to. Situated as it is, New Zealand is a country through which very little transit mail matter passes. On the other hand, most of the mail matter dispatched from New Zealand is subjeet to a transit charge, and the reduction in the rates means to New Zealand a saving of approximately £3OOO per annum.

Letters Under Cover. It is now laid down that, a letter must not contain any communication, note or document addressed to a person other than the addressee of the letter. Prohibitions. Among the additional articles prohibited for transmission by post mention may bo made of the following:—(1) Samples forwarded in numbers with a view of avoidance of Customs duty. (2) Money, bank notes, jewellery, or precious stones (sent unregistered"). (3} Any articles . used in wrapping which are likely to injure postal officers. . Postal Packet Dimensions. It was decided that the maximum dimensions of postcards will be increased from-5J x 3.} inches to 5| s 4 inches, and!the maximum size of samples from 1 foot x 8* inches x 4 inchos, or, if in the-form of a roll 1 foot in length' and (j indie's in diameter to 18 x 8 x 4 inches, or if in the form of a roll 8 inches in; length and 6 inches in .diameter. Minimum Surcharge. The minimum surcharge on unpaid or insufficiently prepaid , correspondence will be reduced to 10 .centimes (Id). This will mean that so far as New Zealand is concerned, the minimum surcharge on correspondence from oversea's will be reduced from l£d to Id. Panel Envelopes. The Madrid Convention prohibited the use in the international service of envelopes with transparent panels unless the panels formed an integral part of tho envelope. In so far. as unregistered correspondence is concerned, this provision has been relaxed to permit of the use of a "two piece" panel envelope. The next Congress will be held in London in 1929.