TELEGRAPH RATES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20273, 6 April 1934, Page 5

TELEGRAPH RATES.

Protest Made by Chamber of Commerce. LETTER FROM DUNEDIN. The Canterbury Chamber of Commerce last night decided to protest against the new scale of telegraph charges, and will convey its resolution to the Postmaster-General (the Hon Adam Hamilton). The protest was lodged on the ground that the charges will be a definite burden on commerce. The Dunedin Chamber of Commerce wrote asking that the Canterbury Chamber should protest against the new telegraph charges. “ The Minister,” stated the Dunedin letter, “ has repeatedly said that the change is not being made for the purpose of obtaining more revenue, but it is not too much to say that about 90 per cent of the business telegrams from Dunedin are for more than 100 miles. The business people here cannot regard the alteration as anything other than an increased taxation.” Mr W S. Mac Gibbon said that the Postal Committee had a special meeting to consider the Dun6din letter. Evidence had been collected from two large firms, which showed that c-ver the last two days, when the new rates had come into effect, there had been a general increase of 10 per cent in the fees paid on telegrams. “We feel,” said Mr Mac Gibbon, “ that if we do not make a protest we are submitting to a definite surcharge. Practically all business telegrams are sent outside our own radius, in which the telephone is generally used. I have to report that the Postal Committee recommends the council to support the Dunedin protest.” Mr V. E. Hamilton said that not long ago the telegraph charge had been only 9d, and business men had been looking forward to a return to that figure.