IMPORTANT AIR MAIL MOVES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21323, 16 November 1934, Page 11

IMPORTANT AIR MAIL MOVES

CHEAPER RATES FOR EMPIRE LINES MORE INTERNAL SERVICES IN 3RITAIN (BRITISH OrFICIAX. WIRELESS.) (Received November 15, 5.5 p.m.) RUGBY, November 14. Important developments in air mail traffic were revealed by the Postmaster-General (Sir Kingsley Wood), in an interview. They include: (1) A reduction in charges and the. introduction of a flat rate for Imperial air mail traffic. (2) The dispatch of all fully-paid letters and postcards to internal addresses by any internal air mail which can operate regularly and punctually and of which the owners will enter into an agreement with the post office to carry mails at a reasonable cost.

By the second decision delivery of mails in Britain will be materially accelerated.

Sir Kingsley Wood said the reduction in Empire air mail charges was the first instalment of plans which were under consideration by the department, and it involved a marked step forward and a real advance in Empire co-operation. From November 17 all varying postage charges to Empire destinations reached by the existing services of Imperial Airways, Ltd., will be abolished and flat rates substituted.

The new charges will be 6d a halfounce for letters to all destinations where the present charge is equal to or in excess of that amount, and 3d a half-ounce where it is at present lower than 6d.

This means that to India, Malaya, Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika, Nyasaland, Zanzibar, Northern and Southern Rhodesia, and South Africa the charge will be 6d. and to the Sudan, Palestine, and Transjordania 3d. The latter rale will also apply to Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Persia. Speaking of internal air mails, the Minister said it would in future be the responsibility of the post office to decide when letters benefit by air transmission. The new internal service will begin on December 1. Sir Kingsley Wood expressed the hope that the final development of this policy would result in the establishment of a network of internal air services operating all the year round to the benefit not only of the posting public but of British civil aviation.

SEARCH FOR ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT OE DIESEL ENGINES (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.) (Received November 15, 7.5 p.m.) RUGBY, November 14. Sir Philip Sassoon (Under-Secre-tary for Air) in the House of Commons, was asked whether, in view of the need for very high fuel economy on long flights on the Empire mail services, steps were being taken to have a machine powered with a heavy oil engine put into service at an early date. He said the Air Ministry had for some time been taking an active part in the development of the heavy oil engine, one type of which had recently passed its flight test and been flown successfully. It was now available for use by civil aviation. He was not prepared, however, to agree that the Empire air mail Services could only satisfactorily be carried out by heavy oil engines.