TOWN EDITION. Mataura Ensign. GORE: TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 1896. CHEAP TELEGRAMS.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 126, 21 April 1896, Page 2

TOWN EDITION. Mataura Ensign. GORE : TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 1896. CHEAP TELEGRAMS.

The determination of the Government to reduce the telegraph me<sage tariff; is a step which will probably be stamped with universal approval, but ono which, though certainly trending in the right direction, as its tendency will be to popularise the wire, we are not prepared to say is advisable or expedient juat yet. The altered state of things is to obtain after the Ist June next, when, as will have been noted, ordinary telegrams of twelve words will be transmitted for sixpence; the delayed article being consigned to obiivion, from whence we hope it will never be recalled. La^t year, it will be remembered, certain alterations deemed necessary on account of the pressure of work on tho Department, were made in the regulations, by which delayed messages became delayed in the most exasperating sense of tho term, and were not delivered until the day following their despatch — a move which brought them almost upon the same footing as ordinary letters, so far as rapidity of transmission was concerned. Tliis was, as the Minister (Mr Ward) at the time intimated, but a temporary arrangement, and one instituted solely for the purpose of relieving the pressure of work upon the telegraph officials, until matters could bo placed upon a more satisfactory basis. The latter has now been effected, the delayed telegram is a thing of the past, we are presented with a cheap ordinary telegram, and do one we are assured will grudge bestowing credit upon the Government for striving to popularise the telegraphs with the people ; but whether the scheme will turn out a success is another matter altogether. At first blu9h, there is a certain amount of satisfaction in knowing that New Zealand is the first of the Australasian Colonies to adopt a system of sixpenny telegrams, but having once rid ourselves of the effects of that natural pride or conceit which causes us to rejoice when we fiad we are leading our noighbors in respect of any branch of statecraft the very fact of our being the first to inaugurate cheap telegrams, should materially discount any very considerable feelings of public jjy at tho innovation. Take Victoria and New South "Wales, for example. Laying stronger claims to antiquity, the populations of these colonies are naturally more centralised, the electric telegraph extends over a very much larger area of country, it is much more generously used by the people in proportion to the number of inhabitants than in New Zealand, yet no such demands for large reductions have bean made. Indeed, we mijjhfc mention that it is only within tho last few years that sixpenny tolegrarns have come into vogue in England — a country in which telegrams are despatched by the million where scores only are sent in New Zealand, a fact which should on the face of it give weight to the assumption that our latest outbreak of State generosity is a trifle premature. At tho end of 1894 there were 5823 miles of telegraph line, carrying 14,647 miles of wire, open in New Zealand. Daring chat year 2,046,839 telegrams wero transmitted ; of these 1,816,296 were private and press message?, and 230,443 Government telegrams, etc., and therefore non-productive of revenue. The total amount received for telegrums during the year — together with other departmental receipts — was L 114,325 18i lid. The ostimated total population of the colony at the end of 1894 was 686,128 persons, consequently the average number of telegrams despatched during the year waa a littlo over two for each man, woman and child. Unquestionably, the reduction in charges will tend to increase tho number of telegrams despatched very considerably, and as tho Government anticipate, also produce a demand for more officials. To the last-named fnot is dua in no small degree the popularity with which tho proposed changes have been received. Any effort on tho part of the State to increase the number of existing avenues for obtaining employment is worthy of all praise, always provided the revenue is not interfered with during tho operation ; but, so far as we can judge, this is precisely what will happen. Beckoning delayed telegrams as one third of the total number, and that 99 messages now produce L 5, it will rrquire 165 messages to bring that amount of revenue when the auspices are changed. Of course we do not for one moment anticipate that the Telegraph Department's finances will be impaired as far as receipts are concerned — these should produce an amount of revenue equal to former yoars— but the expenditure appears likely to increase disproportionately with tho receipts. The various staffs are to be augmented in anticipation of a mild telegraphic boom, and when it cmes to be realised that the work performed by each individual officer will praetioally be worth only half of what it was formerly to' the State, the wisdom of the proposed change becomes more and more questionable. In a great measure, whatever demand there exists here for cheap telegrams has been artificially produced by the delayed system being rendered of less utility last year. Wo are not regarding the matter through smoke-colored glasses, neither is it any part of our desire to detract from what we believe to be a genuine desire on the part of the Government to institute a reform in this direction. We are certainly much in advance of the neighboring colonies in many respeots, and are all the bettor for it, but as the matter under notice is one that depends for its success upon the extent of the population, and not upon the will of Parliament or people, we fear greatly things generally will not warrant the introduction of sixpenny telegrams for some considerable time to come. Meanwhile, we can but hope for the best, Bnd shall be only too pleased to find, as time goes on, that our present view of the question has been totally opposed to actual accomplished facts.