International telegrams

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32778, 1 December 1971, Page 16

International telegrams

Sir,—l was disappointed to find that the clerk at the telegram counter in the Chief Post Office at 3.15 p.m. on November 18 did not know the rules for international telegrams well. A second clerk came forward and read it He was even more ignorant insisting that the name of a town, Petaling Jaya, must be sent as two words instead of one, and my full name must be sent as three words instead of one.Later, the first clerk produced a book containing the rules and regulations of international telegrams. I pointed out to him the sections concerned. However he agreed only partly with the regulations. So I walked off and had my message sent, as usual, from another post office where I was treated politely-—Yours, etc., VISITOR. November 26, 1971. [The Chief Postmaster (Mr M. T. Reedy) replies: “I have been assured by the supervisor of the telegraph counter at the Chief Post Office that ‘Visitor’ was dealt with courteously. The difference of opinion arose in the counting of words apparently run together in a cablegram to an overseas country. As ‘Visitor* was not prepared to accept the counter officer’s assessment he. handed in the

cablegram at another office where it was accepted at the sender’s word count. Unfortunately, the accepting officer was not completely familiar with the procedure for counting words in international telegrams and ‘Visitor’ was under-charged; but the post-master concerned will be getting in touch with him about the additional payment.”]