The report for 1870 states that the Postal Packet rate was reduced on the 1st January, 1870, but does not give the new rate. It is also said that "measures will be taken to organize the whole postal system of the new Province of Manitoba on the same footing as the rest of Canada, from an early date."
The Province of Manitoba, as we have already noted, was admitted to full privileges in the Dominion on July 15, 1870, and the former Colony of British Columbia came in on July 20, 1871. The Postmaster General's Report for 30th June, 1871 says of these:—
The rates of postage have been made uniform in both newly confederated Provinces with those prevailing in the older sections, as well in respect to correspondence passing between British Columbia and Manitoba, and the rest of the Dominion, as in regard to the transmissions within each of the said Provinces.
Arrangements have been made with the Post Office of the United States, under which mails to and from British Columbia pass
in closed bags (through the United States mails) between Windsor (Ontario) and Victoria (British Columbia), via San Francisco, for the conveyance of which through the United States, a transit rate is paid by the Dominion to the United States Post Office, as in the case of similar closed mails passing to and from Manitoba.
The report for 30th June 1872 states that:—
Arrangements between Canada and Newfoundland came into effect from 1st. November, 1872, establishing a uniform prepaid rate of 6 cents per ½ ounce on letters passing between any Post Office in the Dominion and any Post Office in Newfoundland, instead of 12½ cents as before, and providing that Newspapers, Books, printed matter and post cards shall be prepaid at ordinary Canadian rates and vice versâ.
The postal revenue for the year was $1,193,062, it being the first year that the postal business of British Columbia and Manitoba was included. The former was credited with 38 Post Offices and the latter with 27 Post Offices.
It will be remembered that Prince Edward Island joined the Dominion on July 1, 1873, and the Report of that year credits the former Colony with 180 Post Offices.
The report of 30th June, 1874, states that "The System of free-delivery by letter-carriers in the principal cities, of letters and papers coming by mail has been commenced at Montreal and Toronto." This was under the authority of section 36 of The Post Office Act 1867 which we have already quoted.[103] The text of a new postal treaty between Canada and the United States is given from which we make the following excerpts:—