EMPIRE AIR MAIL

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21387, 1 February 1935, Page 12

EMPIRE AIR MAIL

IMPROVED SERVICE TO DOMINION TWICE-WEEKLY EXCHANGE WITH BRITAIN GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL •■: r." ■ A3-S"'- 'ATION TF.LECKAM.) WELLINGTON, January 31. Th.*» Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G V." Fi'i-bej) slated to-day that the (,'ovcrnn.cnt had been in communication with the British Government the Inst J<s months on the subject of air moils within the Empire. jl would i>c recollected, he said, that about 16 months ago it was agreed to pay the sum of £SOOO annually from tin: Post Office here to the British Post Office as a token payment of approval of the new air scheme of handling mails. Since last November, negotiations had been in train lor a much improved K-herr.e. to come into force within two years, which would give a I'.vice-week iy ma;l exchange bei /Leiia'hi and Ciieat jj: itain by air. via. Sydney. The Cabinet had agreed last month to take part in such a scheme, and bince then arrangements had been proceeding to provide for the carriage of first-class mail matter across the Tasman Sea to connect with the main Empire scheme. "Much has yet to be done,' said Mr Forbes, "and the Cabinet to-day decided that a delegation consistnig of the Postmaster-General (the Hon. Ada Hamilton) and the Director-General of the Post Office (Mr G. McNamara) should proceed to Australia to meet British delegates who left England two days ago by air for Sydney. The New Zealand delegates will be able to confer both with the British delegates and the Australian authorities, and negotiate many points still outstanding.'' • The scheme provides for all interEmpire first-class mail (that is closed letters) to be sent by air at a cost of lid a half ounce. The Prime Minister added that such a scheme outrivalled in importance J'nd novelty even the famous change to penny postage within the Empire.