AIR MAILS CONVERGE AT AUCKLAND

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23088, 2 August 1940, Page 10

AIR MAILS CONVERGE AT AUCKLAND

* LETTERS FROM MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, August 1. Air mail from centres as far apart as New York. San Francisco, the Middle Eas'. and Australia converged on Auckland to-day, when consignments were brought by Pan American Airways’ Honolulu Clipper from the United States and by Tasman Empire Airways’ flying-boat Aotearoa from Australia. Within a space of less 7 than an hour the two flying-boats landed on Waitemata harbour, effecting a junction for air services that practically encircle the globe. The Clipper brought 431b of mail for New Zealand, and 751b for Sydney, the latter being delayed in Auckland for a mere matter of Fours before being transferred to the Tasman flying-boat for transport to Sydney to-morrow morning. In contrast to the first South Pacific air ,mail, to which philatelists throughout the world contributed the major share in their desire to obtain first flight covers, the letters to-day bore the characteristics of more genuine commercial correspondence. The Aolearoa’s mail included 4101b lor New Zealand centres, some coming from Egypt and the Middle East. There was a further five bags for dispatch to the United States, and this will be taken to San Francisco by the Honolulu Clipper when it leaves on its return flight on Saturday.