62

No. 15.— Rates on Circulars and Packets from United Kingdom (vide London Letter). In view of the letter received from London, and tabled by the Postmaster-General of New Zealand, we do not see that anything further can be done. Although the d. rate is in force in New Zealand, we do not feel justified, for financial reasons, in advising any reduction in existing rates levied in Australian Colonies. Should the \d. rate at any future ime be adopted, it should in our opinion be wholly confined to printed matter No. 16.— Transmission by Post of Samples in Envelopes bearing printed Notices relating thereto. We recommend that the following questions asked by Berne Bureau be answered as follows:— Do you pass, or are you prepared to pass, Samples in Envelopes bearing printed Notices on the address side or other side ?—Answer: Yes ; provided the envelope complies with the provisions of Clause 2, Detailed Regulation xix., no objection would be raised to such envelope bearing upon it a printed list or notice within the limits of Clause 3of the same Regulation. The Vienna Conveation does not prohibit printed notices on the address side. 2. Do you allow, or are you prepared to allow, the attention of the addressee to be directed to these communications by coloured pencil marks? Answer—Yee. 3. In your opinion, can such articles circulate within the Union at the reduced rate for samples? Answer—Yes, if they comply with the above conditions. No. 17. — Rate of Postage on Seedsmen's Catalogues or such matter got up in Book form. We advise that Catalogues, Reports of Societies, and other such matter, if printed and published in book form and containing no writing whatever, be passed at Book rate of postage. No. 18. — Travellers' Orders whether, when filled up in Manuscript, they should pass at Packet Rate. We recommend that Travellers' Orders should be treated as commercial papers, and passed at Packet rate of postage inland and intercolonially, provided they contain no writing or remarks of the nature of a personal correspondence. No. 19.— Printed Matter and Trade Notices on Accounts and Lnvoices. We are of opinion that any difficulty in this respect would be met by amending Article 12 of the Australasian Convention by omitting the words " nor anything" in paragraph 3, and in the revised draft of the Convention we have proposed such omission. As an illustration, we append a portion of an invoice submitted to the Melbourne Post Office, and claimed to pass at Packet Rate. We are of opinion that the first portion should be passed, and that the latter is in the nature of a personal correspondence, and therefore inadmissible :— John Smith & Co., Who:lesale & Family Draper. Melbourne, , 189 TERMS NET CASH

We beg to notify that our Terms are strictly Cash, as we sell at original Wholesale Prices. Wo. 20.— Rate on printed Circular from Business Firms. The following specimens of postal matter numbered consecutively 1 to 12 having been submitted to us to decide whether they may pass at packet rate of postage, we recommend that Nos. 1, 11, and 12 pass at packet rate, and the rest at letter-rate of postage : — No. 1. Adelaide, 186 Received from the Sum of Pounds ShMKngs and Pence Sterling. £

No. 2. Adelaide, 189 Wβ are instructed as Agents for the Vendors of to inform you that £ is now due, and unless this amount or a considerable portion thereof is paid within 3 days from date we must place the matter with out Solicitors for coHecti'on.