IN NINE DAYS?

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 55, 6 March 1935, Page 8

IN NINE DAYS?

AIR MAIL SERVICE. N.Z. TO LONDON. SERVICE LIKELY IN 1937. FLYING-BOATS FOR TASMAN. fßy Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day.

An aerial mail service which, by 1937, will, as a result of a tentative agreement recently reached, link New Zealand with Britain within eight or nine days from the dispatch of letters bearing the ordinary rates of postage, is envisaged in a Ministerial statement made to the House of Representatives this afternoon by the Postmaster-Gene-ral, Mr. who indicated also the possibility before that date of New Zealand and Australia operating an air mail service by means of flying boats across the Tasman. The Minister's statement wag as follow:—

"The purpose or my visit to Australia was to discuss with British and Australian representatives proposals submitted by the British authorities for an Empire air mail service to commence in 1037. The scheme originated in Britain, and the New Zealand Government has been in communication with the British Government on the subject since 1032, since when much correspondence passed between us and some progress was made. The extreme importance of the matter was appreciated by Britain, which arranged for four delegates holding high positions to proceed by air to Australia to discuss in detail the various points involved in the scheme. Two of the delegates represented the British Post Office, while the other two represented the Air Ministry. ... It can now be confidently said that there is every prospect of the scheme coining into operation in 1937. I should like to explain the existing arrangements and proposed position, so that the scheme may be fully understood. Cost of Present Services. "At present our first-class mails, which comprise sealed letters, are transported to Britain via Vancouver or San Francisco, thence across America and the Atlantic. Second-hand mail usually goes forward via Panama. The time occupied by the former route its in the vicinity of 2S days to London, and by t!ie latter about 34 days. This service at present costs £3(5,000 per annum, whilst our mail to Australia costs us about £!)000 per annum. At present New Zealand enjoys a penny postage within the Empire. Commencing last December, a twice-weekly air mail service was inaugurated between London and Sydney, via India. The utilisation of this service, is, however, entirely optional on the part of senders of letters. At present the extra charge in New Zealand for letters by this route is 1/0 per half ounce. Little use, however, is made of this service, as only a few pounds of mail are sent each week to London by air. From Sydney to New Zealand the connection still remains by steamer. At present it is optional for senders of letters to pay the extra charge for transport by air mail or to forward their letters by the ordinary mail routes. Use of Air Mail Compulsory. "The proposal to which Britain is now asking the Dominions to agree is that it will be compulsory to forward all firstclass mail matter within the Empire by air and the option which now exists of sending by steamer will terminate.. The present ordinary postage rate in Great Britain is. ljd per ounce. If the scheme ie agreed to, Britain proposes to make no change for carriage of mail by air instead of by steamer other than to reduce from loz to Joz the weight that may be carried under their present lid. A reduction in weight will make practically no difference in the case of ordinary correspondence. Neither the Australian nor New Zealand Governments has yet decided the question as to the charges to be imposed on outgoing mails from their respective countries, but I have no doubt that New Zealand's charges will not exceed those made by Great Britain, viz, ljd per iox.

"On behalf of the Government of New Zealand I intimated to the conference that New Zealand would agree to the main principles embodied in the scheme, but until Australia is in a position to give her decision (after having ascertained how the scheme will affect Australia) tliis Dominion is not in a position geographically to benefit by it. However, the advantages of this scheme in more effectively and closely linking

up the peoples of the Empire are so tremendous that New Zealand, the most distant part of the Imperial Commonwealth should co-operate to the utmost. "All Red" Route. Nothing in modern times has promised so much in the way of linking up within the shortest possible space of time, all the important parts of the Empire with the exception of Canada. Here is the ideal All Red route, to be traversed day and night by fast aeroplanes, having its service stations and direction finding apparatus located at suitable points throughout its length. It is almost impossible to visualise the possibilities of this magnificent scheme, which so greatly reduces the former handicap of distance in our scattered Empire. If the scheme comes into operation in 1037, and it is now almost certain that it will, it is proposed to land London mail in Sydney in 7i days. If this mail can then be brought to New Zealand by air. London mail should arrive in New Zealand within eight or nine days of its dispatch. At present Canada is not included in the Empire scheme, as the crossing of the Atlantic by air still constitutes a difficulty. When it becomes compulsory to send Empire mail, other than that for Canada, by air mail, Xew Zealand will have twice weekly an outgoing mail of about one ton weight, while the incoming mail will be about one and a half tons twice weekly. Crossing the Tasman. "Both the British delegation and the Australian authorities were favourable to the extension of the service from Sydney to New Zealand by air. This now appears to be within the region of practicability. Before my departure from Sydney the British delegation kindly arranged by cable for the technical examination of the problem of crossing the Tasman, ami will submit full details and probable cost of a eervice which would enable us to connect at Sydney with the existing air mail service between London and Australia. The Controller of Civil Aviation in Australia is also proceeding abroad almost immediately to investigate the m<y*t modern types of flying machines. He will also report on the most suitable machines for the Tasmun service. Secing that the crossing of the Tasman involves the longest hop over water on the London-Austtalia-New Zealand air route it will be appreciated that the fullest data should be secured on this point before entering into any definite arrangements for the establishment of a Tasman service. Flying Boats Favouied. The- British authorities seem to favour the use of Hying boats rather than land machines for the whole of the service. Certainly for the crossing of the Tasman flying boats would appear to inspire more confidence than land machines. These huge, Hying boats are capable of carrying several tons of mail and, in addition, sleeping accommodation can be provided for a limited number of passengers. It is not, howover, proposed at this stage to discuss the establishment of a passenger service across the Tasman.

"Tlic proposed route from London to Sydney is by way of Kgypt, India, Singapore and Darwin, and arrangements will be made for continuous flying by night and day. The reason for delaying the establishing of the scheme until 1037 is on account of the time required for the manufacture of suitable machines, and for the necessary groiyid organisation to bo perfected. If the

Dominions concerned all agree to the proposals, preparations for the scheme will be put under way immediately. It is confidently anticipated that business men and others who forward their mails by air will heartily approve of the new scheme, seeing that the postage charge is to be at such a low rate. I personally hope that before 1937 Australia and New Zealand will be in a position to establish an air mail service across the Tasman. Foundation Member. "Prior to the commencement in December last of the present voluntary air mail service, New Zealand agreed to become a foundation member of the scheme, and at present contributes £.iOOO per annum towards the service. Mails arc now being carried by air very extensively in Britain and the Continent, and flying has reached the stage when it can be considered to be a safe and reliable service."