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No. 1. PRECIS OF PROCEEDINGS IN CONNECTION WITH UNIVERSAL PENNY POSTAGE AT THE ROME POSTAL UNION CONGRESS, APRIL, 1906. Article V of Universal Postal Union Convention of Washington, 1897. 1. The rales of postage for the conveyance of postal articles throughout the entire extent of the Union, including their delivery at the residence of the addressees in the countries of the Union where a delivery is or shall be organized, are fixed as follows: — (1.) For letters, 25 centimes in case of prepayment, and -double that amount in the contrary case, for each letter, and for every weight of 15 grammes or fraction of 15 grammes; ********* April 28.—First Committee (Seventh Sitting). Debate prior to Vote on New Zealand Motion. Article V of the Convention being under discussion —Sir Joseph Ward, New Zealand, moved to the effect that in subsection (1) of section 1 " 10 centimes " be substituted for " 25 centimes " as the postage-rate for letters within the Union for Ifi grammes weight. He supported the motion in the following speech: — Mr. President and gentlemen,-—The motion I have to submit is one of very great importance, and I earnestly commend it to the favourable consideration of the delegates assembled at this Congress. I shall endeavour without labouring the position to place before the Congress my reasons for submitting the proposals, and the motives which prompted me to do so. 1 have moved in the matter from a firm conviction that to have a system of universal penny postage would be an enormous advantage to the world at large from, first, a national; second, a commercial; third, an educational ; and fourth, a domestic standpoint; and I recognise 'that the loss of revenue would be but temporary. Can I justify myself in asserting that from a national standpoint it would be valuable i 1 unhesitatingly answer in the affirmative You gentlemen who had the privilege of attending the banquet tendered us by the distinguished Minister who controls the Italian Post and Telegraph Service must have been struck, as I was, with the unique gathering at the festive table. Practically every nation and country in the world was represented. Though in matters of great national importance there must naturally be differences of opinion, yet, seeing the representatives of nations with very different characteristics in happy accord, extending courtesies to each other, brought forcibly to my mind the fact that at this Postal Congress was to be found a Federation of Peace and Goodwill among Nations. Providing for our fellow-beings, no matter under what flag they live, a well-equipped postal service does not call for any distinction of country, and we can apply our intellects to help each other to inaugurate reforms for the benefit of the world at large. It is in that spirit that I approach, as I believe all the delegates do, the world-wide question covered by the resolution lam now submitting. lam persuaded that such a distinguished gathering as this, met to discuss, and, if possible, improve, the postal services of the world, must assist, through the machinery of the Post Office, to bring peoples of all nations into closer touch. It will, I think be conceded that there is no organization outsi-de the Post Office that could bring together such a truly representative gathering as that assembled here. I would not have been present as a delegate but for a desire to see consummated the introduction of universal penny postage. I feel sure it would give a greater opportunity to the peoples of different nationalities to more freely communicate with each other, and so, from the national standpoint, create a greater spread of knowledge That together with the education that is going on in different countries, would, 1 think, insure a broader recognition of the aims and aspirations of different nations, of which few of us know as much as we would desire. On commercial grounds the advantages of a penny post cannot for a moment be gainsaid. It will be admitted that the largest contributors to the postal revenue are the commercial community. The largest proportion of them are taxpayers, and the chief agency through which they as individuals, are assisted to carry on their business is undoubtedly the Post Office. Though lam fully ooenisant of the fact that the all-important question of finance requires to be carefully considered with a world-wide proposition of the nature I am submitting to you, yet, as delegates to this Congress, we should look at the matter from all sides. To my mind, the present system of extracting from the commercial and other sections of the community who contribute to the postal revenue an amount, in the aggregate, largely in excess of the cost of transacting the work is penalising them twice over. They pay the same rate for taxation purposes as the non-users of «ie Post Office and, in addition, pay for the cost of the service rendered by the Post Office J shall endeavour to make clear what I wish to urge upon this point. Every country has its general system of taxation, and people pay taxes to provide for the government of their country _ In my opinion the Post Office ought not to be used as a taxing machine though I recognise that m some eLs th s is, at present, unavoidable. The effect, however, is to handicap the units who for business! domeskc, literary, or other purposes wish to make use of the Post Office to assist them to pay their way and provide for ordinary taxation.