9

F.—7

Postmaster-General knows of no demand on the part of the English public for the extension of inland rates to colonial and other newspapers printed abroad. If colonial papers were admitted to this privilege American and other foreign newspapers would certainly demand it; and the Postmaster-General desires me to point out further that the adoption of such an arrangement might have the effect of withdrawing revenue from the colonial Post Offices to this Department, by inducing the consignment of papers to England as freight to be posted at the inland rate of |d. per paper irrespective of weight. On the whole, His Grace does not think that the existing facilities in regard to newspapers really require extension. With respect to the other point mentioned in your letter, I am to state that, in the Duke of Norfolk's opinion, electrotypes and stereotypes which are appliances for printing cannot from any point of view be regarded as printed matter or as samples, and he regrets that in this case also he is unable to agree to your suggestion. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. H. Buxtok Forman.

No. 23. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to the Right Hon. the Postmaster-General, London. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 24th October, 1911. Let me refer to my letter of the 15th August, 1907 [No. 2, F.-7, 1908], and to the reply received from your office of the 28th October of the same year [No. 7, F.-7, 1908], on the subject of the postage-rate for newspapers and periodicals from the United Kingdom to New Zealand. I venture to again bring the matter up in the hope that it will now be possible to extend to this Dominion the magazine rate extended to Canada, Id. per pound. Newspapers for the United Kingdom, if weighing over 8 oz., are accepted in this Dominion at the rate of Id. each for despatch by direct steamers only; and in suggesting for your favourable consideration the question of extending to New Zealand the rate of Id. per pound for newspapers, &c, weighing over 2 oz., I have in mind the despatch of such articles by direct steamers only. I very much hope to hear you now see your way to have New Zealand taken in on some such lines. I have, &c, The Right Hon. Herbert Samuel, Postmaster-General, London. J. G. Ward. [P.O. 11/3476.]

No. 24. The Secretary, General Post Office, London, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. gi R) General Post Office, London, 27th November, 1911. I am directed by the Postmaster-General to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th of September last, and to state that full consideration has again been given to your proposal that newspapers printed and published in New Zealand and registered at your office should be allowed to pass in the United Kingdom at the privileged rate of postage applicable to newspapers registered at this office. The inland newspaper post of this country, however, is carried on at a heavy loss to the revenue, and the Postmaster-General would not feel justified in sanctioning the additional loss which would result from the admitting to the privileged rate of postage newspapers published in the dominions. In these circumstances, he regrets that he does not see his way to adopt your proposal. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General,"Wellington. E. Crabb. [P.O. 11/3477.]

No. 25. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. g ln> Postmaster-Gee -Is Department, Melbourne, 6th December, 1911. I have the honour to inform you that the Governor-General of the Commonwealth in Council has approved that the rate of postage on prin'ed papers transmitted from the Commonwealth of Australia to New Zealand, Fiji, "c - TT ebrides, and the British Solomon Islands be fixed at one halfpenny (id.) per two ounces ( ! oz.) or fraction thereof, with a minimum of one penny (Id.), the new arrangement to come into operation forthwith. I have, &c, Justinian Oxenham, Secretary. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. [P.O. 11/3457(1).]

2-F. 7.