TELEGRAM CHARGES.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19985, 21 July 1930, Page 10

TELEGRAM CHARGES.

PROTEST FROM EMPLOYEES' REPRESENTATIVE. mtao ASSOCIATION Till ORAM.) WANGANUI, July 20. Criticism of the charge made for telegrams was made by Mr J. H. McKenzie, general secretary, Post and Telegraph Employees' Association, at the Wangnnui district annual reunion on Saturday night. He held that the charges as at present w6re a heavy lotting proposition to the Department, aud compared telegraphic with telephonic communication. He pointed out that where in the past telegrams had been sent business people now resorted to toll calk, with a consequent falling off of revenue in the telegraphio department against a rise in the toll department revenue. "Threepence is lost on every ordinary telegram sent," he said. A business man could communicate with a neighbouring town by telegram for the same charge as he could the South Island. With the toll system there wa> a graduated rate. "All the cream has gone to the toll system and the skimmed milk has been left to the telegraphic service." Ine speaker next referred to concessions granted the Press Association. "It is not generally known to many public men just what concessions the Press Association does pet. I i-ave no doubt that in the near future economy measures will be favoured by newspapers throughout the land The Press will express the opinion that every Government Department should pay its way Is that uame Press going to tell the public what the Press Association is getting in concessions? | venture to say it will not. The p ress Association will say the Post and Telegraph will have to pay its way or retrench."

He added that, according to one statement ismed. the Press Association cost £45.000 to £IOO,OOO sterling per annum. Taking 100 words as a basis be snid that Press messages cost eighteenpenco against six shillings and fourpence for commercial telegrams He contended that the Press Association should pay more for the e>ervice it ivas getting.