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No. 45.— "Revision of Parcel Post Rates to India and the East, Ceylon to act as intermediary." No report. No. 46.—" Proposed introduction of System of Insurance on Postal Parcels." We recommend that the system of insurance on parcels be agreed to inland, intercolonially, and with the United Kingdom, and that the following be the rates charged : —

• But we advise that the credit to be allowed by the despatching office be the same in both directions, that is, Great Britain to credit the Colonies on the "outward" parcels with an equal amount to that credited by the Colonies on the "homeward" parcels, and the same principle should apply intercolonially. Queensland and Tasmania consent to this, so far as absolute loss is concerned, but not to insurance against damage. No. 47.—" Articles having a saleable value received by Packet Post to be transferred to Inland Parcel Post." No report on this matter. It applies to Queensland only. Nos. 48 and 49.— " Adjustment of Postage on Intercolonial Parcels posted out of course and received in the Colony of destination by other than Parcel Post." —" Mode of charging and accounting for irregularly-posted Parcels." In the case of parcels sent out of course {i.e., articles despatched from one colony as packets, &c. but regarded in the colony of destination as parcels), we advise that double the amount of deficiency at parcel rate be collected on delivery. Nos. 50 and 51. —"Discontinuance of Registration of Parcels in New South Wales." — " Intercolonial Charges for Certificates of posting of Parcels." We recommend that certificates of posting of parcels be given at a charge of 3d., the one certificate to include as many parcels as the sender may choose to enter upon the list, and for an additional 2\d. for each parcel an acknowledgment of receipt by addressee will be obtained and forwarded to the sender by post. No. 52.—" Apportionment of Intercolonial Parcel Postage equally between the Colony of origin and Colony of delivery." We recommend that the present division of postage on parcels posted intercolonially be maintained —despatching Colony sd. ; receiving Colony 3d. : Queensland dissenting. Nos. 53 and 54. —" Claim of London Office to be credited with la", per lb. for sea transit from Australia to England on parcels sent to Foreign Countries via the United Kingdom."—" Apportionment of postage on parcels exchanged with Foreign Countries through the intermediary of the United Kingdom." In 1896, at the suggestion of the London Office, it was agreed that the postage on parcels exchanged between the United Kingdom and the Australian Colonies should be reduced from Is. 6d. for the first 2 pounds or fraction, and 9d. for each additional pound, to Is. for the first pound or fraction, and 6d. for each additional pound. The proposal for such reduction of postage was first made in 1894, but the apportionment of postage then suggested by the London Office was considered to be unfair to the Colonies, and it was not until after' the exchange of considerable correspondence on the subject between the London and Colonial Offices that the former office agreed in 1896 that the postage should be apportioned as under on parcels forwarded in both directions ; viz. : — Colonial share —First pound, 7c?. ; each additional pound, 3d. Imperial „ „ „ sa". ; „ ~ „ 3d. (Note. —Owing to the heavy expense incurred by the Colonies in initiating the Parcel Post System in 1886, the London Office agreed to allow them the larger share of the postage, and the Colonial share is still 2d. more on each parcel than that received by the United Kingdom.)

Not exceeding £10. Each additional £10 to £05. Maximum Charge. "nland ntercolonial Jnited Kingdom id. M. Qd. 2d. 2\d. 3d. Is. Is. 3d. Is. Qd.