TELEGRAPH CHARGES

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 74, 28 March 1934, Page 18

TELEGRAPH CHARGES

THE NEW SCHEDULE

JUSTIFIED BY MINISTER

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) CIIKI&TCIIUKCH, Mai eh 27 rlhe changes 111 tlio latcs annouiuod b) the Post and Tclegi iph Dcp v tmciit • last week have not boon'made with tlio duett object or incieasing icmjiup, but tho Postuniblci Genciul (tli< lion A Hamilton) hopes that the adjustment of rules will encourage business, and (lieieby impio\e tho ic\enuo position or his Depaitmcnt Mi Ilamilton st itcd to a lepoitci toda-i that it was anticipated that with the new schedule, ot ehuges tin, il\(ihu would loniiun appio\iinatelj as at pie sent until the public begin to applet late tho advantigos of the system Then expanding business could* be expected, with a consequent improvement in returns. It was unjust to say, as some had done, that the new charges were heavier than the present ones, added Mr. Hamilton. Tho rates had been reduced for short-ilistanco telegrams, for Sunday and H \iday telegrams, and for urgent messages. Only two increases had been made—on distance telegrams and on colloct telegrams. ..The main idea behindthe whole scheme was. to contrive a moro equitable scale of rates in an endeavour to make telegraphing moro acceptablo to tho public as a method of doing business Ecjvenuo fiom tele giams had not been altogethei satis factory, but it was not the desire of the, Department to lmpioio its position by an all lonnd incicase 111 chaiges Tho new schedule was based on the same principle as the vtoll telephone system. On tho telephone one paid for distanc and time; in sending telegrams 0110 should pay for distance and length. Tho old system of^ charges was the same as the English system. Tho new system conformed to the American one. It would remain to bo seen which was the moio suitable ±01 this countij.