OVER THE WIRE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 23, 27 July 1922, Page 5

OVER THE WIRE

WHAT PEOPLE PAY FOR

TELEGRAMS

SLIGHT DECREASE IN EEVENUE.

The telegraph revenue received by the Post and Telegraph Department during the year 1921, including telephone exchange and miscellaneous receipts, totalled £1,312,231, representing an increase of £74,467 over the previous year, equivalent to 6.01 per cent. If to this be added the value of free Government telegrams'the total'amounts to £1,320,----689. The telegraph revenue was £706,----322, and the telephone £614,367. The payments made on accoun? of those services amounted to £1,314,068, a decrease of 4.06 per cent. The number of ordinary telegrams decreased from 6,324,982 to 5,341,479, a decrease of 983,503, or 15.5 per cent. The revenue decreased from £356,106 to £338,332, a decrease of £17,714. The number represents 4.64 per unit of population, against 5.29 for the previous year. Urgent telegrams decreased in number from 394,569 to 238,----024, a decrease of 156,545, or 39.6 per cent. The revenue decreased from £44;364 to £31,366, a decrease of £12,----998, or 29.3 per cent. The number of press' telegrams decreased from 372,683 to 364,535. The revenue increased from £34,976 to £45,764, an increase of £10,788, or 30.8 per cent. The number of telephone toll communications increased from 6,786,707 to 6,819,789, an increase of 33,082, or 0.49 per cent. The value increased from £254,182 to £268,----753, an increase of £14,571. The average value of each communication, increased from 8.9 dto 9.46 d. The total number represents 5.18 per unit of population, against 5.68 for the previous year.;. • / ■■ ■,' . '.''

Night letter - telegrams numbered 18,210, the revenue derived amounting to £1639. ; This class of telegram was introduced on the Ist November, 1920. For the five months ended on the 31st I March, 1921, the number of messages ! forwarded was 5525, and the value £494; and'for. the five months ended on the 31st March, 1922, the number forwarded was 8575, and the value £785. Government telegrams for which, no payment was received .totalled 152,428, and the value thereof £8458, against 116,385 and £7036 for the previous year. If the figure's for this cla?s of telegram are added to those for paid telegrams, the total number of all codes is 12,934,465, valued at £694,313, against 14.000,851, valued at £698,520, for ; the previous year. These totals show a decrease in number and value of 1,066,386 and £4207, or 7.62 per cent, and 0.6 per cent, respectively. > ■ ■ "'■-. ' i The proportion of paid messages per unit of population was 9.83, against 11.62 for the previous year.. The number of paid telegrams forwarded amount- i ed to 4.5 messages for evefy 100 letters posted in New Zealaud. ' The following is the classification of paid telegrams and foil communications under the various headings:—■ j

Number. .Value. Ordinary telegrams 5,341,479- 491,293 Urgent telegrams... 238,024 31,366 Press telegrams .... 364,535 ■ 47,437 Night letter - telegrams 18,210 1,639 Toll communications. 6,819,789 268,753 12,782.037 840,488 Less amount due to other administrations on cable and . radio messages.... ... 154,633 Net totals for paid messages of all codes, 1921-22..... 12,782,037 685,855 Net totals for paid ' messages of all codes, 1920-21..... 13,884,466 691,484