If in New South Wales regional districts in the 1930s, the Telegraph Master had many responsibilities, including charge of the team of telegram boys on bicycles delivering the telegrams within the township, or seeking out the reliable local who could be relied on to hand over the telegram to the addressee. The tyranny of distance meant that lads on bicycles were not expected to ride their pushbikes more than 15 miles from the Post Office to deliver any ONE telegram. To send a Telegram the sender lodged their completed form and paid the teller at the front counter of the Post Office. (Pink form for urgent, costing more per word.)
The completed form was then loaded into the Lamson Tube and sent to the Telegram officers for Morse code transmission by the adult men..
The Telegram office was part of the 'back office' of the Post Office, and was next to the Telephone Switchboard with the bank of switchboard operators once the widespread use of phones developed in rural districts.
I hope I have covered everything I gleaned from a phone call with one of my older rellies, who retired from the PMG in Australia before it was split into 2, and corporatised .... Rellie commenced as a telegram boy and retired as a Relieving Post Master. He is 105 years, turning 106 in early December ...
JM ADD
PMG .... a Commonwealth of Australia public service ... Post Master General ... a member of federal parliament, a senior Cabinet Position.
