Colonial Despatches

In a letter to the Treasury dated the 12th August last the Postmaster General suggested that certain proposals should be made, through the Colonial Office, to the Government of British Columbia for the improvement of the postal service between the United Kingdom and that Colony.

These proposals had in view the establishment of a uniform rate of postage onletters letters, newspapers, Books and Patterns, combining both the British and Colonial rates, with an arrangement that each Office should retain the postage it collects. The Postmaster General further recommended that the cost of conveyance of the Mails across the Atlantic, and through the United States should be equally divided between the Mother Country and the Colony, and that the Mother Country should also pay half the reasonable expense of conveyance between San Francisco andBritish British Columbia.

The Postmaster General requests that you will be good enough to inform him whether the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos has received any reply to these proposals from the Government of British Columbia.

From a communication received from the Acting Postmaster General of British Columbia dated the 16th January last, it appears that preparations were then being made in the Colony for carrying the new arrangements into operation;and and since that time letters have arrived in the Mails from New Westminster, which have been paid to the amount of 25 cents each, under the impression seemingly that the postage could be prepaid to England; but, in the absence of any acceptance by the Colonial Government of the Duke of Montrose's offer, such letters could not be regarded by this Office as paid to destination, and have been charged on delivery with the usual British postage.

This charge has given rise to numerous complaints from the Public, and the Duke of Montrose is anxious, therefore, to learn as soon as possible that the Colonial Government agree to the arrangements.