EMPIRE FLYING BOAT PROGRAMME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 136, 10 June 1936, Page 7

EMPIRE FLYING BOAT PROGRAMME.

WITHIN A YEAR.

Britain Offers Half Cost of Tasman Service. DEFINITE DECISION. United Tress Association. —Copyright. (Received 10.30 a.m.) SYDXEY, this day. The "Sydney Morning Herald" says *liat the British Government has definitely decided that the flying boat service between London and Sydney will be inaugurated as soon as the jiew aiul last boats now being built are available. This, it is anticipated, ■will be within a year from now. The service contemplates the sending of all first-class mail matter between London and Sydney at lid per halfounce without surcharge. Whether Australian letters to London will be at the rate of 2d per half-ounce or at a surcharge of -Id per half-ounce has yet to he decided by the Commonwealth Government.

At tlio outset there will be two flying boat services weekly between London and Sydney. It is, however, anticipated that within a year 'of commencement of that service it will be necessary, not onlv to place larger boats on tHo route, but to increase the capacity of the boats being used. A direct service JToiri London to Sydney is contemplated independent of the flying boat services between London and Calcutta. The British Government proposes a twice weekly service between London and Sydney with an extension as soon as practicable to New Zealand. The British Government promised to contribute one-half of the cost of the SydneyXew Zealand service, leaving the balance to be defrayed by the Governments of the Commonwealth and New Zealand.