F.—3.

No. 63. The Eight Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to His Excellency the Governoe. My Lord,— Downing Street, 30th October, 1900. With reference to the telegraphic correspondence noted in the margin [Secretary of State to Governor, 24th August, 1900, (No. 23) ; Governor to Secretary of State, 28th August, 1900; Secretary of State to Governor, 10th October, 1900; Governor to Secretary of State, 23rd October, 1900, (see next number following)], relative to the proposal of your Government to introduce universal penny postage from the Ist January next, I have the honour to inform Your Lordship that the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury on, 3rd instant agreed to the institution of penny postage between the United Kingdom and New Zealand as from the Ist January next, provided that your Government, on finding that universal penny postage was impracticable, retained its desire to institute penny postage with this country and with such British colonies as have accepted the latter scheme. Your telegram of the 23rd instant having since made clear what was the intention and desire of your Government in this respect, their adherence to the Imperial penny-postage scheme will be communicated, as on previous similar occasions, in a circular despatch to the colonies generally; and the same circular will also contain an intimation of the readiness of your Government to enter into a similar arrangement with any British possession that may not as yet have joined the scheme. I have, &c, H. Bekteam Cox, For the Secretary of State. The Eight Hon. the Earl of Eanfurly, K.C.M.G., &c.

No. 64. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Peemier. Sic, — Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., 30th October, 1900. Eeferring to my letter of the 18th instant, I beg herewith to transmit copy of letter from the Colonial Office (dated this day) forwarding copy (also enclosed) of further correspondence relating to the introduction of universal penny postage. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington, New Zealand. W. P. Beeves.

Enclosure in No. 64. The Assistant Undee-Seceetary, Colonial Office, to the Agent-General. Sir,— Downing Street, 30th October, 1900. With reference to your letter of the 18th August last [Enclosure 2 in No. 24] relative to the proposal of the New Zealand Government to introduce universal penny postage on the Ist January next, I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, for your information, a copy of the correspondence noted in the margin [telegram from the Secretary of State to Government, 24th August, 1900; telegram from Government, 28th August, 1900; Treasurer's letter, 3rd October, 1900; telegram to Government, 10th October, 1900; telegram from Government, 23rd October, 1900], and to state that a circular despatch to the colonies notifying the adherence of the New Zealand Government to the Imperial penny-postage scheme from the Ist January, 1901, will be issued from this Department. An intimation will also, at the same time, be made of the desire of New Zealand to enter into similar arrangements with any British possessions which may not as yet have joined the pennypostage scheme. I am, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. H. Bertram Cox.

[For Sub-enclosure 1, see No. 28.]

Sub-enclosure 2 to enclosure in No. 64. His Excellency the Goveenoe to the Eight Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Wellington, 28th August, 1900. Eefeeeing to your telegram 24th August, my Government fully understood that penny postage could only be applied to such countries as would reciprocate, and that preliminaries to action had been taken in regard to places beyond Her Majesty's dominion by communicating with International Office, Berne. -—

Sub-enclosure 3 to Enclosure in No. 64. The Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the Under-Secretaey of State for the Colonies. Sir, — Treasury Chambers, 3rd October, 1900. Adverting to Mr. Lucas's letter of the Bth ultimo, I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to transmit to you herewith for the information of the Secretary of State a copy of a letter which is being addressed to the Postmaster-General in regard to penny postage between the United Kingdom and New Zealand. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office, E, W. Hanbury.

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