POST AND TELEGRAPH

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 97, 7 April 1934, Page 9

POST AND TELEGRAPH

Rate for Small Packets N.Z. FALLS INTO LINE By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 6. Improved facilities aro now available for the transmission to New Zealand of small packets by post. The Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire at its recent congress in London called on certain Dominions and colonies of the Empire which did not participate i. the “snail-packets post” (which permits all dutiable goods up to 2 lbs. in weight being sent by letter post at less than ordinary letter rates) to study the possibility of coming into line with the rest of tho Empire and thus placing at the disposal of the British commercial community a very useful facility. New Zealand being one of the Empire countries so far outside the scheme, the Associated Chambers of Commerce took the matter up with the Post and Telegraph Department here. The department has advised that from July 1 it is prepared to accept small packets from all countries accepting small packets from New Zealand.

INTERNATIONAL TELEGRAMS

By Tel sgraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 6. Efforts are being made by the Associated Chambers of Commerce to secure a reduction in the rates for international telegrams operative in New Zealand and other countries, which were increased at the last international tel 'graph conference in Madrid. A remit on the subject was submitted by the Associated Chambers to the last congress in London of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire. This was taken up by the congress and since then the New Zealand Chambers have been collecting statistics from local firms with regard to the effect of the new rates and has forwarded them to London for use, and then further representations will be made. NEW TELEGRAPHIC RATES Bv Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 6. The new telegraphic rates which came into operation a few days ago have been responsible for an increase in the telegraphic bills of several Wellington mercantile houses to the extent of 20 per cent. Although it is a little too early to obtain anything in the way of an accurate average figure, the business opinion seems to be that the new charges definitely mean au increase notwithstanding the fact that local telegrams cost less to send today than under the old schedule rales. Ono city business man expressed the opinion today that if discrimination was being made in the charges for telegrams according to the distance they had to be sent he did not see why the same principle should not be applied to letters. It cost only Id to send a letter from Wellington to a half-mile post office or tho northernmost portion of Canada. It seemed to him tlat the distance a telegram was sent made little difference to the acton! handling charges. and the increased charges appeared to b« unjustified.