The Southland Times. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6,1869.

Southland Times, Issue 1125, 6 September 1869, Page 2

The Southland Times. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1869.

The subject of telegraphic charges throughout the colonies has recently been a matter of muc h considerati »n and naturally the conclusion has been arrived at, if not adopted in practiced, that, to ensure the greatest amount of good from telegraphic operations, the rates must be brought so lovv as to place the use of the wires within the reach of all classes. There is little or no difference in principle between the employment of the post-office and that of the telegraph, and no difference whatever in opinion as to the wisdom of adopting as nearly as possible a uniform low scale in both departments. Tiiere is no other limit to the use of a valuable article than the price at which it can be obtained. This may be fixed so high as to exclude many purchasers, and ordinarily to make any undertaking a failure which relies upon high prices for its success. The varied reductions in the post-office departments throughout the world have demonstrated that while under high rates loss accrued, yet by the adoption of a lowsoale a profit was realized. It now re requires no great effort to believe that the principle of low charges will before long result in the establishment of a system of ocean penny -postage, because, I as yet, no valid argument has been brought forward agaiast its adoption. On the contrary the supporters of such an idea have proved that there can be no material difference between the actual | cost of transit of letters and that of merchandise. The new scale of telegraphic charges for New Zealand, brought into operation on the first instant, provides that the minimum rate for a ten word message shall be two shillings and sixpence. This is irrespective of distance, provided that no break of telegraphic communication occurs. Upon the whole this new rate canuot be regarded as much of an improvement on the old. The advantage, so far as this province is concerned, is decidedly on the the other side. The charge between Invercargill and the Bluff is trebled ; that to Balclutha doubled ; and to Tokomairiro and Dunedin gives an increase of one third. To Christchurch the charge is the same under the new regulation as the old ; to Wellington and Nelson a reduction of five-pence on the cost of each message is realised by the new rate, and it is only in reference to the stations of Greymouth, Hokitika, and Napier, that any reduction likely to stimulate telegraphic communication between ourselves and them is observable. The gaia between Invercargill and Napier is tenpence; between this city and Hokitika, two shillings and elevenpence, and Grey mouth three shillings and nine pence. The new rate appears to be a financial mistake. At first sight it might be supposed that the Treasury would gain by the alteration, but the experience of three months will probably prove the contrary. As^to^ those, stations betweejn which the charge is increased by the new rate, W may !fla!irly ; D 8! Hn£rre'a T thkt upujnthe whole a diminution of messages will be the result. That this diminution wtll be ' Voiinter&rfaricea' ' ; by ' tne" ' ine'r'e'aiie" between the estrgmjej^is very unlikely, jf the measure should succeed in a ! "revenue "'p'tirnt "of view, '¥he success will have been attained by the unfair or disproportionate taxation of the senders of sm>rt messages. Unitormity is desirable without doubt, but must not be afct'ainecl f o£ T ttie f injustice of imposing ajn additional charge, on thja majority, forthje.., use of a public convenience for which -they fcav^«lteafdy"b leba1 eba' l in' r th ! e ?} hWbif of--1 ,wouJd.:,b#Ye,been 7 bstfcer r jta havenfi&ed > the uniform rate at one sjjjljing, Jjhajk npae might have had reason to complain, and., that the fairest possible trial might have [jßUajtey e.^e.jwively 6o o .Ußa..the( telegraph [ when offered at a cheap* ratev finiinpal ; re.sult,o£, cheap, ra^^L^e.Cr ijn > the post-office or the telegraph department has 'tightf ! 4&- be consider^ 1 exclusively. Many other questions are besides that of revenue, and if i±r ot>' l! a'«fmTttea°, sik it^lsV'tnat'^ne post-office ;department.mußfr be^coaducted' efficieflt y if even at a loss, the., same concession" must be made to that of the telegraphy •ITtitiirhowevKr/th^^y^eiEt' $f ! cfi9ap' rateshas h.a<L&iairJ;riai, nfiifchecthfcadvaatag^s aor tae pecuniary results can be fairly asiettAii^Kvvtrn&'Tasinaniaiis having felt

themselves aggrieved by the high rate of chnrges by the submarine cable to Victoria, have been agitating for a reduction, and a reduction has been made of two shillings on the ten word message. The ' Launceaton Examiner ' says : — " Still the expense will deter many persons from making use of the cable," and asserts, " that ife would be a wise course to adopt to charge say only one shilling for- , a message. The cable would then come in for general use, and for one telegram transmitted, probably twenty would then be sent." This is the common sense vievr of the /natter, especially when it is taken into account that the number of messages may be very considerably I multiplied with but a very slight addition to the working charges of the department. In connection with this subject, the authority last quoted says there is a probability of a reduction of the telegraph tariffs by the Governments of New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia, thus reducing the cost of a ten words message between either colony and Tasmania to seven shillings. The present charges being, to Sydney, twelve shillings, to Queensland, fifteen shillings, and to Adelaide, twelve shillings. While other colonies are realising the necessity of cheap telegraphic communication, it is matter of surprise that the Government of New Zealand should virtually propose to increase it.