AERIAL MAIL SERVICE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9432, 1 February 1921, Page 4

AERIAL MAIL SERVICE

INTERRUPTION OCCURS. . t AVRO'S ENGINE TROUBLES. ANOTHER MACHINE "CARRIED An interruption m the. aerial mail service occurred at the Timaru end today. The Avro, under the pilotage of Captain D. Gray, passed through Aehburton this morning, leaving the local landing ground up to the schedule time, 9 a.m. At Timaru it was discovered tha^ owing to mechanical trouble the aeroplane would not be able to make the return journey to Christchurch. Communication was established with Sockburn and a relieving 'plane ' was despatched at once to Timaru to carry the northwards mail. The usual service was five minutes late m arriving at Ashburton this morning and the landing, was made by Captain Gray on the ground originally fixed opposite Miss Chalmers' residence. "Meanwhile the Ashburton mail was waiting on the ground used by Captain Dickson yesterday and a short delay, therefore ensued m effecting the exchange of mail hags. Nevertheless the ample waiting time allowed at Ashburton — 20 minutes — enabled Captain Gray to' rise for Timaru at 9 a.m. according to programme/: He had with him one through passenger for Timaru. The landing ground m future will be that used yesterday, which is closer to Ashburton and therefore more convenient for intending passengers and postal officials. The mail from Ashburton for Timaru v and for Ashburton from Christchurch „ '- was very small this morning, hut this afternoon's Ashburton mail for Christchurch comprised 22 letters and two postcards. A fair proportion of the correspondence forwarded so far has borne the extra fee for express delivery. The saving of time by using aerial post and securing express delivery really make a letter, as speedy as a telegram with the additional advantage of being able to send a much longer communication for the same money. As this advantage of the aerial service is more widely recognised, especially by business houses having transactions with Christchurch and S~ Timaru, fairly regular use should be^ made of the aviation post.