At the resumption of discussions in Adelaide at the May 1890 Intercolonial Conference:
Of all subjects debated at the Conference, the greatest diversity of opinion took place as to a colonial inland telegraphic tariff of 6d. per message and a special intercolonial rate varying from 1s. to 2s.
Victoria, following the suit of Great Britain, has organised a 6d. inland rate, but at a considerable loss to revenue. The loss in England is even greater than was anticipated, while the access of business is not so large as was prophesied by its advocates. It must be remembered too that, in Great Britain, it took long years of agitation and preparation before the 6d. tariff was accepted by the Government, although the population is there so concentrated and the lines fitted at enormous expense to meet a large expansion of traffic. It is hardly fair to place Victoria, with its small territory and compact population, on the same plane with Queensland with its immense distances and its scattered business communities. What may be feasible in the former - when there was supposed to be over a million of a surplus in the Treasury - might be in the case of telegraphic communication, on which there is a present loss, utterly beyond the reach of the latter, especially when we have a very serious and a growing deficit to face.
The same argument applies to New South Wales and South Australia, although in perhaps a lesser degree. Of course we all desire to obtain the very cheapest and most rapid means of communication, but there must be some correlation between the object sought and the method of attainment. Considering the enormous area of Queensland, it is marvellous that our Post Office has been able to furnish internal telegraphic communication from the Tweed River and the South Australian border, on the one hand, and Cape York Peninsula and the Gulf of Carpentaria on the other, at a minimum cost of 1s; and relatively speaking, perhaps no country in the world affords the like telegraphic facilities as are granted here.
If we understand Mr. Powers rightly, the reduction of the inland rate in Queensland to 6d. per message would involve a loss of £30,000 per annum, a sum which we cannot at present possibly afford. Mr. Powers, with enthusiastic aspirations becoming in him, as a native and a member of the Young Australian party, after a " dominion" rate applicable to the whole of Australia, proposed a scheme which would obviate the necessity of a 6d. rate in Queensland, and yet secure the advantages of a federal or joint stock arrangement. It was that an intercolonial 1s. telegram be adopted, the receipts to be equally divided between the colonies through which the messages are sent; that the messages should consist of six words, exclusive of addresses, and each additional word should be charged 1d. Even with this modification, he appears to have admitted that the loss to Queensland would be over £10,000 per annum. The final discussion of the question was conducted in the absence of Mr. Powers, but the 6d. internal rate for each colony was abandoned and a compromise was arrived at, which, however, so seriously affects our departmental revenue, that it is questionable whether the burden that the recommendation of the conference would lay upon us can be borne. It was that between any two contiguous colonies, 1s. shall be the initial charge for twelve words, and l½. for each additional word, names and addresses to be paid for; between any three colonies 1s. 6d, to be the minimum charge for twelve words, and 2d. for each additional word; between Queensland and Western Australia, 2s. to be the minimum charge for twelve words and 3d. for every extra word; to Tasmania the minimum rate to be 6d. for twelve words for each colony, plus the cable rates; twelve words to be considered the minimum rate, addresses and signatures to be paid for, and code addresses to be prohibited and the reduced rates to come into operation on 1st January, 1891.
The effect of this resolution, arrived at in the absence of our representative, is that, between, say, Normanton and Sydney or Adelaide, a message may be sent for 1s., but the same rate may be charged for a message between Stanthorpe and Tenterfield; and that 1s. 6d. would be demanded for a message between Brisbane and Melbourne, and 1s. between Brisbane and Adelaide or Hergott Springs. We are afraid the scheme is too complicated, too inequitable, and involves too great a sacrifice on the part of the Queensland Telegraphic Department to be acceptable to our Government, however desirable it may be to press for a "dominion" rate.
It was also noted that, "in the event of any modification in the existing telegraph rates, we very strongly recommend that the almost universal practice of counting names and addresses and including them in the charge should be adopted; but the acceptance and registration of code addresses should be strictly prohibited except for international cablegrams".
1891: (Tasmania) the rate is 1s for an initial charge for 12 words and 1½d for each additional word, the names and addresses to be paid for.
This will be the charge between any two colonies, but between any three colonies the rate will be is 1s 6d minimum for 12 words and 2d for each additional word. Between Queensland and Western Australia 2s is to be the minimum charge for 12 words and 3d for every extra word. Tasmania to be a minimum rate of 6d for 12 words for each colony, plus the cable rates, 12 words to be considered the minimum rate, addresses and signatures to be paid for and code addresses to be prohibited.
1882 rate reduction:
telegraph charges to Tasmania from Victoria reduced from 7s. to 4s. per message of ten words
1895 - but dont know when started:
TELEGRAPH RATES
| To | Basic rate | Additional word |
| Victoria | 6d for 6 words | 1d |
| South Australia | 2s for 10 words | 2d |
| New South Wales | 1s for 10 words | 2d |
| Queensland | 3s for 10 words | 3d |
| Tasmania | 2s for 10 words | 2d |
| Western Australia | 8s for 10 words | 3d |
| Europe and UK | 4s 10d per word. |
6 Sept 1898
Adelaide Advertiser:
VICTORIA.
INTERCOLONIAL TELEGRAPH CHARGES. PROPOSED REDUCTIONS. Melbourne, September 5.
With regard to the anomalies in the intercolonial telegraph charges by which the Victorian commercial people in particular are greatly prejudiced in their transactions with other parts ot Australia, the Victorian Postal Department is preparing a scheme by which these anomalies are to be removed. In a few days, proposals to this end will be submitted to the Postmasters-General of New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland. In the case of New South Wales, the proposal of the Victorian Department is that the fee for each extra word shall be 1d. In the case of Queensland, the proposal is that a direct telegram of 10 words shall be transmitted for 2s. 3d. and,,of this amount, Victoria is to receive 9d., New South Wales a similar amount, as payment for the message passing over its wires, and Queensland the third 9d. In the case of South Australia, the Victorian office suggests that the charge shall be reduced to 1s. 6d., the fee being based on the standard of 9d. for each colony. The local department admits that these reductions are being recommended with considerable reluctance, as if agreed to by the other colonies they will entail a loss of about £10,000 to the Victorian telegraph revenue. At the same time, it is admitted that the loss of revenue is not likely to continue for more than about a year as the lower charges are certain to encourage increased business.