Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Feb 1953

Vol. 136 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Postal, Telephone and Telegram Charges.

Mr. S. Collins

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will indicate (a) the increased cost of postage since 1923, and (b) the increased charges quoted in the telephone and telegrams service since 1923.

Mr. Childers

The reply is in the form of a tabular statement which I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to have circulated with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

Service	Rates in 1923	Current Rates
INLAND POST:
Letters	Not over 3 oz.		2d.	Not over 2 oz.		2½d.
	Each additional oz.		½d.	Each additional oz.		½d.
Postcards	Single		1½d.	Single		2d.
	Reply		3d.	Reply		4d.
Printed Paper	Not over 1 oz.		½d.	Not over 4 oz.		1½d.
	Not over 2 oz.		1d.	Each additional 2 oz.		½d.
	Each additional 2 oz.		½d.
Newspapers	Not over 6 oz.		1d.	Not over 6 oz.		1½d.
	Each additional 6 oz.		½d.	Each additional 6 oz.		½d.
Samples	Service not in operation in 1923	Not over 4 oz.		1½d.
				Not over 6 oz.		2d.
				Not over 8 oz.		2½d.
Literature for the Blind.	do.	Not over 2 lb.		½d.
			Each additional 3 lb.		½d.
Registration	Minimum 3d., increasing by 1d. up to 1s. 11d.	Minimum 4d., increasing by 1d. up to 2s.
Parcels (Inland)	Not over 2 lb.		9d.	Not over 2 lb.		10d.
	Not over 5 lb.	1s.	0d.	Not over 5 lb.	1s.	1d.
	Not over 8 lb.	1s.	3d.	Not over 8 lb.	1s.	4d.
	Not over 11 lb.	1s.	6d.	Not over 11 lb.	1s.	6d.
Parcels (to Great Britain and Northern Ireland).	Not over 2 lb.		9d.	Not over 2 lb.	1s.	0d.
Not over 5 lb.	1s.	0d.	Not over 5 lb.	1s.	3d.
Not over 8 lb.	1s.	3d.	Not over 8 lb.	1s.	6d.
Not over 11 lb.	1s.	6d.	Not over 11 lb.	1s.	9d.
FOREIGN POST:
Letters to U.S.A. and British Commonwealth.	Not over 1 oz.Each additional oz.		2d.1½d.	Not over 1 oz.Each additional oz.		3½d.2d.
All other places	Not over 1 oz.		3d.	Not over 1 oz.		4½d.
	Each additional oz.		1½d.	Each additional oz.		2½d.
Postcards	Single		1½d.	Single		2½d.
	Reply		3d.	Reply		5d.
Printed Papers	Per 2 oz.		½d.	Not over 2 oz.		2d.
				Each additional 2 oz.		1d.
Commercial Papers	Not over 12 oz.		3d.	Not over 6 oz.		4½d.
	Each additional 2 oz.		½d.	Not over 8 oz.		5d.
				Each additional 2 oz.		1d.
Samples	Not over 4 oz.		1d.	Not over 2 oz.		2d.
	Each additional 2 oz.		½d.	Each additional 2 oz.		1d.
Magazine Post for Canada.	Not over 6 oz.		1d.	Not over 6 oz.		1½d.
Over 6 oz., but not over 1½ lb.		1½d.	Each additional 6 oz.		½d.
Each additional ½ lb.		½d.
Literature for the Blind.	Each 1 lb.		½d.	Per 2 lb.		½d.
(maximum postage—3d.)
Insured Boxes	Not over 6 oz.		6d.	Not over 10 oz.	1s.	5½d.
	Each additional 2 oz.		2d.	Each additional 2 oz.		3½d.

CHARGES FOR TELEPHONE SERVICES

Service	1932	Current Charges (inclusive of percentage addition)
ANNUAL RENTALS OF EXCHANGE LINES:
Business line		£7	10s.	0d.			£8	2s.	6d.
Auxiliary line		£6	10s.	0d.			£6	17s.	6d.
Residence line		£7	10s.	0d.			£6	5s.	0d.
Excess milage		£1	5s.	0d.			£1	11s.	3d.
	per furlong for each furlong in excess of one mile from exchange.	per furlong for each furlong in excess of three miles from exchange.
CALL CHARGES:
Local Call from subscriber's telephone			1½d.					1¼d.
Local Call from Call Office telephone			3d.					3d.
Inland Trunk Charges from subscribers' telephones (per 3 mins.)	Day Rates		Night Rates	Day Rates		Night Rates.
7½ to 10 miles		4½d.			4½d.		3¾d.			3¾d.
10 to 12½ ,,		6d.			6d.		5d.			3¾d.
12½ to 15 ,,		7½d.			7½d.		6¼d.			3¾d.
15 to 20 ,,		9d.			7½d.		8¾d.			5d.
20 to 25 ,,		10½d.			8½d.		11¼d.			6¼d.
25 to 35 ,,	1s.	1½d.			9½d.	1s.	3d.			7½d.
35 to 50 ,,	1s.	7½d.			10½d.	1s.	6¾d.			11¼d.
50 to 75 ,,	2s.	1½d.		1s.	1½d.	1s.	10½d.			11¼d.
75 to 100 ,,	2s.	7½d.		1s.	4½d.	2s.	1¼d.		1s.	3d.
100 to 125 ,,	3s.	1½d.		1s.	7½d.	2s.	6d.		1s.	3d.
125 to 150 ,,	3s.	7½d.		1s.	10½d.	2s.	9¾d.		1s.	3d.
150 to 200 ,,	4s.	7½d.		2s.	4½d.	3s.	1½d.†		1s.	3d.
200 to 250 ,,	5s.	7½d.		2s.	10½d.	3s.	9d.		1s.	3d.
250 to 300 ,,	6s.	7½d.		3s.	4½d.	4s.	4½d.		1s.	3d.
Over 300 miles	1s.	0d.			6d.	5s.	0d.		1s.	3d.
	extra per 50 miles or part thereof over 300 miles.	†Maximum charge within the State.
Calls to Great Britain from subscribers' telephones	As above with in addition cable fee of 1s. per call during day hours; 6d. per call during night	As above with cable fee of 1s. 3d. per call during day hours; 7½d. per call during night hours.
Foreign Trunk Calls from subscribers' telephones	No standard rates quoted	Various according to country of destination.
Trunk Charges from Call Office telephones	Generally 1½d. in excess of charges above as from subscribers' telephones	Generally 3d. in excess of charges above as from subscribers' telephones.
OTHER SERVICES:	Various				Generally about 25% in excess of 1923 rates.

CHARGES FOR TELEGRAPH SERVICES.

Service	1923	Current Charges
INLAND CHARGES:
Transmission (Ordinary Telegrams).	1s. (minimum) covering 12 words plus 1d. a word for each additional word.	1s. (minimum) covering 9 words plus 1d. a word for each additional word.
Porterage	6d. a mile or part of a mile beyond one mile.	6d. a mile or part of a mile beyond one mile.
Transmission (Press Telegrams).	6 p.m. to 9 a.m.—1s. per 80 words; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.—1s. per 60 words, plus 2d. per word thereafter in each case.	As in 1923.
TELEGRAMS TO GREAT BRITAIN:	As for inland ordinary and inland press telegrams.	For ordinary telegrams—1s. 6d. (Minimum) covering 12 words plus 1d. a word for each additional word. Charges for press telegrams—as in 1923.
FOREIGN CHARGES	Various, according to country of destination.	Various, according to country of destination.