asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state the percentage increases since 1939 in the following basic rates: (a) postal inland letter rate, lowest weight in each case, printed paper rate, inland parcel rate, poundage on 10/-, £1 and £3 postal orders; (b) telegraph, inland, for the minimum number of words, and (c) telephone rates in respect of (i) city calls, and (ii) five typical provincial call rates during the daytime and telephone rentals in respect of (i) city, business and residential, and (ii) rural, business and residential, based on the recent increased charges.
Written Answers. - Postal and Telephone Charges.
The information required by the Deputy is as follows:—
|
Rate |
Percentage Increase. |
|
|
(a) Inland Letters (first unit of weight) |
50 |
(see Note 1) |
|
Printed Papers (first unit of weight) |
300 |
(see Note 2) |
|
Inland Parcels (first unit of weight) |
1331/3 |
|
|
Poundage on 10s. |
||
|
Postal Order |
100 |
|
|
Poundage on 20s. |
||
|
Postal Order |
100 |
(see Note 3) |
|
(b) Telegraph, inland, for the minimum number of words |
150 |
(see Note 4) |
|
(c) Telephone rates: |
||
|
Call rates: |
(see Note 5) |
|
|
Local call rate: |
||
|
Ordinary telephones |
100 |
(see Note 6) |
|
Coin-box telephone |
50 |
|
|
Day-time trunk call rates: |
||
|
(i) 15-20 miles |
43 |
|
|
(ii) 20-25 ,, |
55½ |
|
|
(iii) 25-35 ,, |
50 |
|
|
(iv) 35-50 ,, |
60 |
|
|
(v) 75-100 ,, |
43 |
|
|
Telephone rentals (standard): |
||
|
Dublin—business |
54 |
|
|
—residence |
50 |
|
|
See Note 7 |
||
|
Provincial—business |
54 |
|
|
—residence |
27 |
NOTES:
(1) The first unit of weight is 2 oz. as compared with 3 oz. in 1939.
(2) The first unit of weight is 4 oz. as compared with 2 oz. in 1939.
(3) The highest denomination of Postal Order is 40s. It was 21s. in 1939.
(4) The current minimum rate of 2/6 is for 12 words or less; the 1939 minimum rate of 1s. was for 9 words or less. Per word the increase since 1939 is 87½ per cent.
(5) Calls are classified under "local" and "trunk" only.
(6) The radius of local calls is being extended to 7½ miles from 1st July, 1956, instead of 5 miles as at present.
(7) The recent revision does not affect telephone rentals. The residence rate subscriber outside the Dublin automatic area enjoys a free local call allowance, valued from 1st July, 1956, at £1 3s. 4d. per annum— hence the lower percentage increase shown under this heading.