THE AIR MAILS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 127, 11 March 1936, Page 6

THE AIR MAILS

SERVICE STARTS MONDAY. LARGE SAVINGS IN TIME. BENEFIT TO ASHBURTON. Considerable savings of time will he made by Ashburton people who make use of the air mail service which will be inaugurated on Monday, but it is pointed out that these savings will accrue only in the cases of letters posted between certain hours namely 5 p.m. to 7 a.m., so far as Wellington and Auckland mails are concerned. In all other cases there will be large savings whenever posting is made. For example, a letter intended foi Wellington, and posted before 5 p.m. will be sent forward by rail and steamer reaching its destination tiie following morning, this being the quickest method of carriage for mail posted between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. A letter posted after 5 p.m. and before 7 a.m., and bearing the extra penny stamp for the air mail service, will be sent to Christchurch on the early morning train, be placed on the aeroplane there and reach Wellington at 3.45 p.m., a method that will give a time saving of up to 15 hours. Where at present a business house often is rushed to post mail before the express train leaves Ashburton at 6 o’clock the air mail service allows the full evening, if necessary, for the preparation of mail that it is desired should be in Wellington the next day. Mails for Auckland will be taken by ’plane as far as Palmerston North and sent on by train, a, saving of 24 hours being offered. The maximum saving in regard to Blenheim is 27 hours. A letter posted at Ashburton at 5 p.m. leaves Wellington by plane at / a.m. the next day) and is in Blenheim at 9.30 a.m., where the average liour of arrival by! present methods is 6 p.m. Ordinary stamps may be. used for air mail letters, though large stocks of air mail stamps are available at the Post Office. The envelopes should bear the words “Air Mail” above the address, and preferably in the left hand corner.