GREAT AIR MAIL IN WEST AUSTRALIA.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17986, 1 February 1924, Page 4

GREAT AIR MAIL IN WEST AUSTRALIA.

DISTANCE EXTENDED,

REMARKABLE SUCCESS, (rHOH OCR OWN COK?.£S?OKI>£. k TT.) SYDNEY, Jan car v 24. The suocess of tho long distance air mail and passenger service, which has been running regularly in "Western Australia for more than two years, is being strikingly demonstrated this week by its extension to servo an aclditioiuiJ distance of .about- 250 miles. Hitherto the mail has started from tho rail head at Geraldton, meeting all trains from Perth «tnd carrying passengers and mails right up to Derby right up on tli© north-west coast of the continent. The flying distance from Geraldton to D-erby is about 1000 miles. With this week the service is being extended to the capital city, Perth, itself, thus covering ground already served by frail, though much moro speedily, and adding about 250 miles on to tho trip. Tho service, which is conducted by contractors under tho Federal Government, is the only otic of its kind in the Commonwealth, although it is intended to establish others in tho eastern States, and had proved probably tho most remarkable and consistently successful in tho world. its vast distances have been covered with almost clockwork regularity, and the number of passengers, freight and mails has gono on steadily increasing so that this year two additional aeroplanes will be landed. These will bo of tho latest British commercial type, capable of carrying four passengers with mail and freight in .addition to the pilot. Tho .service has become very popular amongst station owners, many of whom have cleared landing grounds near to their homesteads. The 'planes regularly make detours to land or toko up passengers, being advised by telephone when one wishes to tie taken tip. A special landing fee is charged for this service. Practically (every trip is fully booked ;ill along tho long route, and, although a special fee is charged for letters intended for air transit, this is effected so rapidly—tho distance from Perth to Iterby and back, which, with detours, often involves nearly threo thousand miles travelling, being performed in five days—that all urgent correspondence is entrusted to it. Although few people make tho entire journey, the service depending upon passengers between tho various stages, it has proved of great valuo in several instances of giving visitors to the Commonwealth a unique opportunity of obtaining a bird's eyo view of a- huge tract of Australian territory, right up into the trojjical coastlands of the Kimberloy district. It is intended that eventually thero shall be a chain of services which will connect up tho north and south jmd the east and west. With a servioo from Brisbane to Sydney., another from Sydney to Melbourne. another from Melbourne to Adelaide and another right ■across tho continent from Adelaide to Perth, where tho present service from Perth to tlio far north-west would bo met, there would be little needed to accomplish a complete aerial oncirclment of the continent.. MOTORISTS AND POLICE. UNIFORMED PATROL WANTED, A request by the South Island Motor Union that , the Justice "Department should establish a motor-cyclo patrol corps is now receiving the attention of tlio Minister. The innovation lias the support of all the Associations, but in the following leader the ".Daily Mail," in referring to the English plain-clothes | patrol, draws attention to an aspect of ( the system which the S.I.M.U. would J do well to consider in the interests of motorists. Judging from tho English newspaper's comments it would appear that it is highly desirable that the patrol should be uniformed. The article is as follows :

To bring "road-hogs" to book "The Daily Mail" lias always been in favour of equipping the police with, motorcycles. Without such means of swift locomotion obviously they would be powerless. But in two,eases lately there seems some danger, from, the published reports, that the police in their eagerness to obtain convictions may lay themselves open to the charge of obtaining evidence under conditions which leave something to be desired in the matter of fairness. This was illustrated in a charge of exceeding the speed limit heard at Leicester on Wed- 1 nesday, when the defendant said he accelerated to Ul- miles an hour to get out I of the way of the plain-clothes constable. but the faster he went the faster went his pursuer. Apparently he was not awaro that his pursuer was a policeman. In the United States "speed cops' 3 (to five them their American name) can easily be distinguished bv their uniforms and red cycles. It. is not so easy here. In another case at Leicester the motor-cyclist involved stated in the "Daily Mail" that the rider, who eventually turned out to be a policeman, actually shared in a burst of speed—in a spirit, apparently, of friendly emulation — with liis prospective victim. The two discussed the weather and their respective machines until, reaching the town, the motor-cyclist was called on by his road-companion to stop and show his license. Police proceedings and a fine closed this quaint episode, but we still have our doubts ns to whether there is not a touch of the agent-provocateur about snob methods which is out of tune with the fairness the public expect and generally obtain from the police. THE EXTRA ST A3 UN" A OF "WHITE*' TRUCKS Why is it that so many lorry operators in all parts of the world are willing to pay a higher price for the "White" Truck? just because tfv: "White" lias set a new standard in Motor truck efficiency. Xo matter to what ordeal you subject tht- "White" it invariably emerges triumphant. Tho "White" Truck yives longer service, more reliable service and more economical service than has Been 'believed possible hitherto. Thousands of. "WSite" Truck users all over tlie world will aladly confirm this claim. Write to ; Newton King Ltd.. New 'Plymouth for i full particulars of "White'* Truck i which has becu specially built to suit ! tout needs '