CHRISTMAS AIR LETTERS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22595, 28 December 1938, Page 5

CHRISTMAS AIR LETTERS

POSTINGS MADE TO EMPIRE

ESTIMATES OF EXPECTED LOADS

traost oub own cobbespokpemt.) LONDON, December 2. It was revealed to-day that Britain’s first “Air Mail Christmas’’ postings from this country to the Empire have already exceeded 80 tons —about 4,500,000 letters. Since this is the first Christmas period in which the. all-up (unsurcharged) *air mail scheme has operated to Australia, New Zealand, the Far East and India, as well as to Africa, the task of the Post Office and Imperial Airways in estimating the expected loads was an extremely difficult one.

The postings for the last three weeks (to November 27), however, were almost identical with the estimates, although the weekly incidence of the mails has not been quite as expected. It is estimated that a further weight of between 160 and 170 tons will be dispatched from this country in the next four weeks. The Australia and New Zealand peak should be reached this week, but the peak periods for other parts of the Empire will demand a continuous effort to ensure the successful execution of the task.

Imperial Airways carried out of England just over 23 tons of mails in the week to November 13, 26£ tons in the week to November 20, and 31 tons in the week to November 27- The total was only about 2J tons more than the estimate for the three weeks.

Hong Kong, newest of the territories in the all-up scheme, provided the biggest surprise with mails, at 2J tons, nearly twice as heavy as expected. Australia and New Zealand, with 331 tons, Malaya with 3J-. tons, and the Near East with 61 tons, were just a trifle more than the estimates. India, Burma, and Ceylon were a ton up with nearly 16 tons. Postings for the African territories at 17£ tons were a ton less than budgeted for.