The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1868.

Southland Times, Issue 1010, 26 August 1868, Page 2

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1868.

The fourth annual report of the Telegraphic Department has been published and laid on the table of the Assembly. It shows that this service, unlike many others, is financially healthy, and steadily advancing. The following extract from the report will explain the position of the department. It says : — " On reference to the return m the report of last year of the number of telegrams transmitted during the year 1866-67, (70,952) it will be seen that the number (98,485) transmitted during 1867-8, after deducting 7,912 transmitted by the offices of the West Coast Line (which were not included in last year's return) shows an increase of 19,621, being rather better than 25 per cent. ; and the actual cash receipts compared in the same manner show an increase of £1,139 17s Bd. The total cash receipts of the Telegraph Department from all sources is £11,652 3s 7d, and the total value of business done, including guarantees and other receipts, is £18,324 3s lOd, which, after deducting the cost of maintenance of stations and lines (£14,896 5s Id) leaves a balance to the credit of the Department of £3,427 18s 9d. The interruption resulting from the extensive damage done to the lines in the months of August and February have lessened the cash receipts this year by at least £1000, and added fully £1,500 to the cost of maintenance. These losses, however, are not likely to occur again, as one of the principal causes of them, viz., the rotten condition of a part of the line, has been, to a certain extent, and will be ere long entirely, removed." This is certainly, under all circumstances, highly satisfactory. Both telegraphic lines and railways cannot be expected to pay for the firat few years, but experience proves that as operations progress, and extra stations are established, the working expenses are but slightly increased, while the receipts are materially augmented. During the year several new stations have been opened, and a corresponding amount of business transacted. Several improvements, we are informed, in the mode of working the wires have been made. A comparative scale of the charges made in this colony with those levied in the Australian Colonies, shows that the New Zealand scale is far the most reasonable. The number of miles of telegraph in. operation is stated to be 1,183, and the number of milea of wire 2,223, and the number of instruments in operation is 50. During the year the line across the North Island 1 from Wellington to Auckland has been actively proceeded with, and is now completed to Castle Point, a distance of 95| miles, and the work necessary to the extension of the wires to Napier, a distance of 121 miles, is rapidly approaching completion. If the same energy is displayed during the current year as that which has been shown during the past, the two islands from the extreme North to the extreme South will be brought into almost instantaneous communication. Thus far the report is more favorable than could have been anticipated. But we cannot consider the management of the line to be complete or satisfactory. The report says : — " The registered number of complaints made by the public during the year, is eleven ; they may be classified as follows : — Three telegrams reported as not received. Five late delivered. Three with errors in the wording. Each of these complaints was strictly investigated, and the offender punished by a severe fine or otherwise. The above number of complaints must be considered very small when it is taken into consideration that the number of telegrams transmitted during the same period amounts to over 98,000." The number of registered complaints is undoubtedly small. Still that does not prove that the lines have been worked to

the satisfaction of the publio. It is an unmistakeable fact that general dissatisfaction ia expressed at the very indistinot writing in the telegrams received. The press in almost every district in the colony has had to comment upon this subject, and the question has been more than once asked, whence arises this deficiency ? The answer is simple. The amount of remuneration paid to the operators is essentially inadequate to retain the services required, and conse-. quently men of ability and experience retire from the service at the first opportunity and their places in most cases are filled by boys, who as a messengers, may have obtained a slight insight into the working of the instrument, although unable to write intelligibly. Erom our knowledge we can state that even among | the most promising youthful operators | the inadequacy of pay is a source of perpetual discontent, and renders many careless and indifferent. It is false economy to place the remuneration of the employes of one of the most important of all government departments, at a scale so low that none but children would be satisfied to receive. As long as this system is continued the working of the Telegraph will continue defective and unsatisfactory. The Government arrangements for the dissemination of the English news is faulty to a degree. It neither increases the revenue derived from this department or gives satisfaction to the public. It is most objectionable that upon the arrival of the English Mail the wires Bhould be monopolised by the Gorernment, who have set up a sort of telegraphic agency, by which news is only supplied to those papers that become annual subscribers to that establishment. This is essentially wrong. It is a mild imitation of the Government Land Jobbing establishment of the early days of the settlement of the colony, the working of which was the main cause of the Maori war. In this instance it is positively a loss to the Government, and an annoyance to the public. Each paper has its distinctive character, and should receive Its own reports. Items of news that may appear of interest to the uninformed mail agent or telegraphist, might be looked upon' as. worthless by the editor of a newspaper. The principle is wrong, and in practice vicious — the Government should never interfere with private enterprise.