TELEGRAPH CHANGES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1260, 23 April 1896, Page 39

TELEGRAPH CHANGES.

Tho Government have decided to establish a system of (id telegrams. The delayed system will lie abolished entirely, and a fid tariff for ordinary telegrams for 12 words substituted, with a Id a word after the first 12 words. The new system will conic into operation on June Ist next, so as to enable tho necessary arrangements to bo completed. It is anticipated that the change will result in a very large increase of work throughout the Colony, and those telegraph messengers who are able to operate have within tho last month been put through test's ill telegraphy. The change will mean the employment of a considerable number of additional persons in the service, and there is every reason to believe they can be drawn from the ranks of the juniors. New Zealand will under this altered condition of affairs enjoy the unique* distinction of being the only country in Australasia that has adopted the sixpenny telegram system, aud it should give general satisfaction to the public. A slight alteration will also lie made in the press rates. In cases where stations do not open after 5 p.m., press messages will he accepted for transmission to papers publishing in the morning at the rate of Is per 100 words up to 300 words, in the daylime. The system will therefore he:—

Ordinaiy telegrams, fid per 12 words; urgent telegrams, double rates; while ha any messages which the public may wish to he repeated, a charge <fi half rates extra will be made, so that in addition to effecting an important change the codes will be considerably simplified, the delayed system disappearing. All telegrams will, of course, now he delivered to the addressees by messengers immediately on arrival at their destination. When tlie system of delayed telegrams was altered some time ago, in reply to many representations made to him, the lion Mr Ward said he Imped to be able to establish a system of cheaper telegrams that would give more satisfaction than the old system, and there is every reason to believe the change, which has now been decided upon will effect that object.