MINISTERS IN CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1651, 18 January 1913, Page 5

MINISTERS IN CONFERENCE.

POSTAL EECIPEOCITY. / ' A lengthy conference took place vesterday between the Hon. B. H. Ehodes (Poslmastcr-Genorcil of Now Zealand) and. tho Hon. C. .E. TFrazor (Postniaster-Gen-oral of the Commonwealth). The matters discusso/1, with a view to possible co-opera-tion between tho Commonwealth and tho Dominion, included tho nroposal'to lay a State-owned cable across the Atlantio, tho extended utilisation of wireless telegraphy, and tho exchange of postal notes. On the subject of the Atlantio cable, Mr. Ehodes had..littlo 1 more to say, when he- was questioned last evening, except that it would bo, tho subject of further correspondence between the Dominion and tho Cable Board and tho Commonwealth and the Cable Board before any determination could be arrived at. '■'■■

As to wireless telegraphy tho Postmas-ter-General hopes, as an outcome of his oonferenco with Mr. iFrazer, that some arrangement may bo made for tho utilisation of tho Dominion high-power stations at Awanui ond the Bluff and th<\ Australian station at Pennant Hills as a means of communication between New Zealand and tho Commonwealth. Thcro will bo further correspondence on this subject b*?wcen tho two Ministers.

Now Zealand is at present a party to an arrangement under which British postal notes of small valuo (up to a maximum of XV) pass ourrcnt in and aro interchangeable between the various coun-' tries which, havo formed tho agreement. Australia has not yet made any such arrangement and its postal notes for Small sums aro not negotiable outside tho Commonwealth. This matter also wns dismissed by the two Ministers and Mr. Frnzer agreed to consider it with a view to submitting proposals to his Government entailing oither the adoption of the British postal notes by tho Commbmvenlth or an arrangement under whioh Australian postal notes for small sums will bo available for transmission to Now Zealand and Dominion postal, notes for transmission to Australia. Mr. Hhodcs considers that tho position would be best met by Australia admitting the British postal notes and Mr.FrazOr has promised to consider the matter.