NEW TELEGRAPH RATES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21122, 24 March 1934, Page 12

NEW TELEGRAPH RATES

* AMENDED SCALE REDUCTIONS AND INCREASES CHARGES VAH I EI) ACCORDING TO DISTANCE

A new scale ot vales and charges fur telegrams in the D.nmmon to come into force on April .>, 1J34. ■„ noteworthy lor the departure From the principle which has been the basis ol charges ior for many years, that the - number of words the charge should be the same irrespective of the disum'l: bcuv,.™ the the message was lodged and the ollice to which it was to be tr m mitted. In part the nc\\ sea 1c l a return to the sixpenny late xUuch was m force many years ago. What u- ■ described as local messages for delivery within the town or city m v-hich lodged will be charged Od lot U words and Id for each word m ex-i-oss of 1° Another noteworthy feature is the substantial reduction in the charge lor urgent telegrams. Hitherto it has been double the amount charged for oramaiy telegrams; under the new scale they will be charged ordinary rates, plus (Id. An alteration which should prove popular is that the charge on Sundays and holidays will be the same as on week days. Brielly, the new rates and charges are:—

Local telegrams-Od tu 12 words. Other than local telegrams-t)d to Is ;>d tier 12 words', according to the distance between the olhcc of origin and the office of destination. Additional words in excess 01 1Id a word. Urucnl K.'mls - OidiiKiiy plus (id. On Sunday:- and holiday:* Ordinal y week-dav charge.Celled telegrams Oromary rate i plus lid. , : Lctler-tcleyrßms: tid to Is .Id lor _4 ' words. Koasons for In explanation of the reasons underlying the change, the PosimasterI General states: "The alleration consists principally of an adjustment in ra'es designed on l lie one liand to enable a sum more in keeping with the m:t of transmisM( :i to he colic eicd from the sender ,j !>o 1, nislaiu'c tc'e::ram. and on ; jw■ otin r Im'i i reiiuc • the charge >.i ;tic S'.ndii' of tiie short-dis-tance mo: Kor some time past the matter «.f ml roducaa: a umrc equitable ; vsten. ' I char:;!!]:; for te!( ;:rains has bet n rei-eivm:; attention. The present ' teli strain charge i-f Is for 12 words, ir-ic-pe.'ti\"e of til.' (ii-'anei that the telei;) am ha. n> I' l ' 1 ' a'.Mi\itte<l, has been ( 'nu•:i to the obit '.I ion of being iiHHiui:aii'o. With the now . rale no lunger wdi !el o:.rarn.- lo<i.;id f.-r delivery m :;<» 'to ;:o • oie- away ist tlio ;uii•!' m.-t a ; :,v. oil a ■ or.e that has (.'ape ) t'o"" Hi'::'! _ Of ci.in^o. aii in -Imetn iiosaaaii to ie-'-en the eliarce for tlio snort-distanee telestrain naturally iieiv-oitat< ■ a slight in-crca-v in tiie eha""o for the long-da--tanoo telegram, hat the incidence of 1 rathe is MH'h tnat i! lias been l'os- .■ iblf to 1 iiii:t tic inerea.-r for o.i-tanee nics'i'.e: to a maximnnt of I. and to commence the scale W the shorter distance message.. at a, low a ti-:nro a lid Drill.nut tor ( !h'.i|hi' R.i-c----"Kvideneo has last beer, wantm:! t.t the i \ : dence of a demand tor a eheapc r rate for local telegram:, i.e., teli ;• ram.: h dgt d for delivery from 1i 'e I of or i•' in. and the adopti-n oi a ra.t" a 'ov a- (id will no dou'ol be weiei.nu d. It represents at least a return m part to 'lie (id telegram. The charges for other local telegrams will vary in Id steps ' om ltd to Is id. each Id step in the short-'T distance 1 ; taking the telegram inm la to 20 miles I'i.irther atiekl. Under the new system, each telegraph, office will have itsown distinct, scale of charges, ana in that respect it will not diil'er materially ti'om a railway station with its own distinct scaie of railway fares.

I'rs* -t M<'ssa;;rs "A notable mature oi' tile 11 ■- v. .-ealo , . ihe heavy rediietan Ilia! has been made in the charge tor urgent telegram.- winch has hitherto been double that t' ■ r cinlma ry telegrams. An urg-t-i it telegram tal;es precedence over all others. 11. involves a spieial transmission and speedy delivery at tile place of destination. It i-- reasonable, thirefore. that the urgent telegram should contribute to Hie revenue a little more than the ordinary telegram. At the time, it is desirable that the facility for senuiug an urgent telegram siionlo not be denied the owner of even the blender purse. Thin has been arranged by reducing I lie charge for urgent telegrams from double rates to the ordinary rate plus lid. irrespective T the number of words or of the distance of transmis -ion. This reduction, .t is e\pet t"iL will be iho means <>f the mg- ( nt telegram facility within the reach of more people. Sundays und Holidays "It will be observed that 'he n ]ngraph charges on Sundays and holidays which hitherto have been double changes arc now reduced to -ingle rhai'scs as on ordinary 'veel: days. This reduction ol at) per centum should atVord a considerable measure i.f relief to f|io.-e who have t.> S'lul telegrams (.11 Sunday; ar.d holida\g. "The sole object in is,akin:.; *hc adiurtmci.t m U legraph cltarve.- h:> •• be- a devise in qu i! able scale of rati-- m re i, io e|iin:; with what the average person consider; . pay |i,r his telegram. There luat; be; n no direct attempt increasing Use i'i voiii". ho 1 ••.>> doubt increased bu-i----iicss will fo'!<".•• '.he app'ving to telegrams of what may well be termed popular charges."