Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-12-28


Der 20, with the consideration of In
J ternational postal reforms In view oil
tie next conference of the Universal
Postal Union in 1918 The reporter
was DR.. Alt Georg. vice president OF
the Chamber OF Commerce. Geneva.
The following questions were EN-.
braced in the discussion by DR.. Georg
and other speakers: -"
l.. Reduction of the rate fixed by the
Universal Postal Convention from g
confines Is cents to 10 confines e
cents); that is, to domestic postage
. rate. The collection of the rate on the
weight OF 90 grams co., ounce1 and
d; fractions thereof. exclusively Oh the
metric system ....~. = ,. -.
! 2. Signatories to the Postal Conven.
tion of 1906 which have exceptionally
retained rates dating from previous
agreements are to renounee this prac-
tice --..~. e-..... =.
/. 3. Extra charge on unstamped or in
sufficiently stamped letters to be uni
formly 5 eentimes (l cent?.
/. 4. All sealed letters received by any
State signltory to the convention are
where the envelopes do not conform
to local regulations. This particular
" refers to countries refusing to. de-
liver letters with transparent envel-
opes, the address being on the letter
ii; elf
+ 5. The provision of the Universal
Postal Convention that samples should
have no merchantable value shall be
repealed. Limit of weight of samples
should be. raised to 500 grams I'll
pounds). 81
/ 6. Introduction of special class OF
postal parcels, minimum weight l kilo
(2.2 pounds). which in consideration
of special rate are to be shipped by
rapid routes.
/ Z. Time limit for delivery of par
! cells is to be imposed on the States
signatory to the convention, based on
/ destination, and beyond the stated
i limit the postal administration is to
be responsible.
Other proposals emanating from
various sources and voiced by the
speaker included Fixing the rate on
business papers, as for printed matter.
/ at 5 confines IL cent? for each so
, grams Il "a ouncesl or fraction
thereof, without the minimum tax of
Is centimes 6 cents1; c. o. d. pack
! ages to be accepted in all the c0un-
tries Of the Postal Union; the postal
department is to be responsible for
delivery of c. o. d. packages turned
over to the addfessee without the coll
| lection of the amount involved.
The congress passed the following
resolution on the subject of postal re-
forms: The permanent committee
will be instructed to bring to the at
tention of the Universal Postal Union
all the questions of postal reform that
have been discussed at this congress.
Uniformity In Consular Invoices.
The desirability of international.
uniformity of action in the matter of
consular invoices was next taken up;
the official reporter. Mr.. Wilbur j..
Carr. director Of the American Consul
lar Service, being unayoidabiy absent,
his place was taken by Mr.. Thomas
Summons, American consul general at
Yokohama. The subject of unificationi
and simplification of consular in
voices. Mr.. Sammons stated, had been
taken up at four conferences OF Pan
American states. Mr.. Sammons sub
mitted to the congress report by
Mr.. Carr which indicated, described, /
and tabulated the principal points of
difference between the consular in
voices of the various countries Mr..
William c. Downs entered into a de-
tailed description of consular require
ments from the point of view of the
exporter. He advocated the entire
abolition of consular invoices on the
plea that for statistical purposes. as
well as for valuing goods for customs
purposes and preventing false en-
tries, an extra copy of the bill of lad
ing would suffice, while from the
point of view of revenue raising 1t de-
feats its own purpose, since the fee Is
eventually charged by the exporter to,
the debit of the importer, and the inn
porting country has to bear the bur-
den of 1t. Failing the abolition Of
consular invoices, the speaker COM
mended standard of uniformity. Mr..
John Barrett, director of the Pam
American Union. also advocated uni
formity in consular invoices.
The congress adopted the report of
Mr.. Carr and passed the following res
olution: "The congress approves in
principle the proposal for uniformity
of consular invoices and recommends
to the several chambers for their ia
vorable consideration the form of in
voice prepared for the consular refer
ence of American states.
Prices and Cost of Liying-Ne
Meeting.
The last topic discussed was the de-
STABILITY of an international confer
ence on prices and the cost of living,
the reporter being Prof. Irving Fisher.
of Yale University. The congress APP
proved the proposition. A resolution
on international arbitration between
states and between states and indiYid-
uaIs was also adopted. ."
; The next congress will meet in
1914. Invitations from Barcelona,
Lisbon, Leipzig, and several other cit I
les in Europe were received, and the
pc rmanent committee was instructed