F.-S.

No. 49. The Ministeb of Education and Agriculture, Adelaide, to the Hon. the PostmasterGeneral, Wellington. Office of the Minister of Education and Agriculture, Sib,— Adelaide, 17th September, 1900. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 29th August, conveying the fnformation that universal penny postage will be introduced by New Zealand from Ist January, 1901, and asking that the question of reciprocity in this matter between your colony and the Commonwealth of Australia be considered at the conference of heads of departments proposed to be held shortly. In reply I beg to inform you that the Australian Colonies have all decided that the question of adopting universal penny postage should be left to the Federal Government. I agree, however, with the suggestion made by you that the forthcoming Conference should discuss the matter in order to facilitate a decision. I have, &c, E. L. Batchelor, Minister of Education and Agriculture. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington.

No. 50. The Agent-Genebal for New Zealand to the Hon. the Pbemieb. Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., Sir,— 19th September, 1900. Eeferring to your cablegram of the 30th August, instructing me to inquire as to the cost, &c, of engraving by steel-plate process one million postage-stamps proposed to be issued in commemoration of New Zealand adopting universal penny post, I beg to state that I at once communicated with Sir E. Poynter (President of the Eoyal Academy), who expressed his willingness to prepare the design. I also communicated with Messrs. De La Eve and Company and Messrs. Waterlow and Sons as regards the cost and the time in which they would undertake to supply the stamps. Messrs. De La Hue were unable to undertake to supply the stamps within the required time. Messrs. Waterlow, however, subject to their receiving the design without delay, undertook to deliver them for shipment early in November. Messrs. Waterlow quoted as follows: Engraving original die, £100 ; making printing-plate, £95 ; printing 1,000,000 stamps, £62 10s.; overtime, £20 : total, £277 10s. I informed you on the sth instant by cable of the price and time of delivery, and on the 7th instant I received your reply approving the same. However, on again communicating with Sir Edward Poynter I was informed by him that he could not furnish the design before the 21st of this month. There was therefore, in order to get the stamps out to the colony in time, no alternative but to obtain a design through Messrs. Waterlow, so that the work of engraving could be at once commenced. The design furnished by their designer will, I think, be approved as artistic and as carrying out the idea expressed in your cablegram. I propose to send out at all events a portion of the stamps by the mail (via San Francisco) which leaves London on the 17th November next, and which is due at Wellington on the 20th December. The remainder will go by the direct steamer leaving London on the Bth November, and should reach Wellington before the end of the year. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. W. P. Beeves.

No. 51. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Postmaster-General and General Superintendent of Telegraphs, Perth. General Post Office, Wellington, 20th September, 1900. Sir, — Universal Penny Postage. I am directed by the Postmaster-General to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th ultimo, in which you say that until the question is definitely decided by the Federal Government your Department will probably be unable to deliver letters received from New Zealand unless fully prepaid at the rate of 2d. per half-ounce. I am to express the Hon. Mr. Ward's regret that the refusal of letters from this colony should have been suggested. He is surprised to think that, even if you were unable to establish a penny rate from your colony to New Zealand, any objection should be raised to treating our mail matter as fully prepaid at the rate of Id. The Minister desires to remark further that if your colony determines to take such unusua action as you suggest there is nothing to prevent our retaliating. I have, &c, W. Geat, Secretary. The Postmaster-General and General Superintendent of Telegraphs, Perth.

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