F.—3

6

Transmission of Telegrams by Telephone. 32. (1.) Subscribers to telephone exchanges may, by prearrangement in writing with the tele-graph-office, have telegraphic messages which are addressed to them forwarded by telephone from the office of destination to their business or private address. Such messages will, after transmission, be posted for delivery to such address, and be marked on the front " Transmitted by telephone." (2.) If desired, short Press messages up to fifty words may be telephoned to newspapers, the proprietors of which are subscribers to a telephone exchange, and who agree to pay the fee for so doing. After being telephoned such messages will be delivered by messenger, when their values (if collect), together with the fee for telephoning, will be collected. (3.) This system may be availed of during the ordinary hours for attendance of officers at the telegraph-office, except in the case of offices where officers are on duty until 10 p.m., when the telegrams may be telephoned up to that hour. (4.) The charges for transmitting telegrams as above shall be as follows : — s. d. A fee of £5 ss. per annum, paid in advance; or, in other cases, for each separate transmission, provided the telephone conversation does not exceed three minutes ... ... ... ... ... 0 6 For each additional three mimjtes or fraction thereof ... ... 06 When the fee is paid by time, one conversation may include two or more messages, including any referred to in the next succeeding section. The fee is to be affixed in stamps to a docket which will be provided, and presented to the telegraph-office immediately after the message has been telephoned. (5.) Telephone exchange subscribers who have signed the usual form of application may also telephone to any telegraph-office connected with a telephone exchange, during the ordinary hours of telegraph attendance, if the exchange is open, any messages, not exceeding fifty words in length, to be further transmitted from the telegraph-office to the respective destinations of such messages as telegrams, provided the usual cost of such telegrams is paid in addition to the above rates. (6.) Prior to telephoning any such message the sender shall have reduced such message to writing, and, immediately after transmission, if telephoned before 5 p.m., deliver the written message to the telegraph-office, with the charges affixed in stamps. Messages telephoned after 5 p.m. and before 8 p.m. must be handed in to the telegraph-office not later than 10 o'clock the following morning. (7.) The department reserves the right to exclude any person from the privilege of sending or receiving telegrams by telephone under this system until any arrears of fees which may be due are fully paid, and to demand a deposit before registering any application. (8.) The transcribed copies of messages telephoned by subscribers will, so far as the department is concerned, become the original telegrams, and the department will not assume or be subject to any liability by reason or on account of any failure, delay, or mistake in or about the transmission, receipt, or delivery of any telegram under this system, from whatever cause the same may arise. (9.) On payment of a fee of 6d. and the charge for the transmitting—at the prescribed rates for urgent or ordinary telegrams, as the case may be—of such words as may be required to convey the direction hereafter mentioned, the sender of a telegram may insert in the place for instructions thereon the direction " To be telephoned," and thereupon such telegram, upon arrival at the telegraph-office of destination, shall be forthwith telephoned through the Telephone Exchange to the addressee, if such addressee be a subscriber to such Exchange; and in olher respects the provisions made for the transmission of telegrams to addressees through Telephone Exchanges at their own request shall, as far as applicable, apply to such telegrams. Taeiff Bates in New Zealand. Ordinary Telegrams. From any station to any station : — For the first 12 words or less, including address and signature ... Sixpence. For every additional word ... ... ... ... ... One Penny. On Sundays, double the above rates. [For telegraph-fees for repayment of Post-Office Saving-Bank deposits by telegraph, see Eepayment of Deposits, page 154, 155, New Zealand Post and Telegraph Guide.] Urgent Telegrams. For the first 12 words or less, including address and signature ... One Shilling. For every additional word ... ... ... ... ... Twopence. On Sundays, double the above rates. [See also charges for Telegrams relating to sickness and death.] Press Telegrams. Day Rates. From any station to any station, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (week-days),— For the first 12 words or fraction of 12 words ... ... ... os. 6d. For every additional word ... ... ... ... ... os. -|d. No charge shall be made for address and signature, up to six words, on any Press telegram. In assessing the total amount due, fractions of a penny are reckoned as a penny.