CHEAPER TELEGRAMS

Grey River Argus, 3 August 1935, Page 2

CHEAPER TELEGRAMS

12 WORDS FOR BD. CHRISTCHURCH REQUEST. CHRISTCHURCH, August 2. Claims that increases in charges for tuivgrams have restricted the availabilii\ uf telegraph service to the community, and accelerated the decline iu the use of service are made in a report presented to the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce by its postal committee, Jast evening. The report which aualysej the cost oi telegraph and Coll telephone services tor the last 21 years suggests that the charge for telegrams should be nut more than 8d for 12 words. The committee’s recommendations included the following; Whilst the telegraph service has been eclipsed by growing telephone and toll system it is still a most important aud in the national interest its use should be developed and encouraged. The recent' introducing of regional rates which iuther reduces availability and increacies charges fur the majority of messages, will lead to further reduction in telegraphic traffic. The varied or regional rate is a- definite handicap to 'the communication services of the Dominion, and wrongly tends to emphasise the distance in the Dominion instead of minimising it. The strongest replesentations should be made to the Postmaster-General to adopt such a basis of charge. The committee suggests the charge should not be more than 8d for 12 words. It iy strongly of opinion that this rate would provide a more * i balanced scheme” in relation -tb toll services, population increase, and national development. The committee believes also that revenues would quickly recover any initial cost. There is no justification on the basiy of cost for the additional charge of Id. a word after 12. For example a message of 20 words is handled at very little more cost than that of 12. Additional words should not be chargeable at more than id each. It was decided to forward copies of the report to the Postmaster General and to invite him to send officers of the Department to Christchurch to discuss the position with the Chamber.