EMPIRE PRESS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 120, 14 February 1929, Page 11

EMPIRE PRESS

ANNUAL MEETING OF UNION VALUE OF AIR SERVICES CHEAPER COMMUNICATION RATES URGED (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph. —Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) London, February 12. The main note in Viscount Astor’s speech at the Empire Press Union’s annual meeting was their desire to make the 1930 conference worthy of the union’s increased prestige. Sir Robert Donald, moving the annual report, bailed the wireless merger, as a triumph' for the union. Major Nicholson, of Ceylon, disclos-

ed that Imperial Airways had decided that the acceleration of the Australian mails did not justify an air line from Bombay to Ceylon, from which other revenue would be inadequate. They were therefore abandoning the idea. He appealed to the council to urge the Indian and Ceylon Government to provide the link on national and interImperial grounds. Sir Harry Brittain emphasised the need for Britain to provide such air lines, including one to the West Indies, where otherwise the Americans would step in. He would be proud of introducing on Thursday to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Postmaster-Gen-eral the strongest yet Empire deputation to urge penny postage. ■ Mr. Theodore Fink said that Australia could in effect be brought halfway to England by proper air routes. Certainly there were much finer mail ships nowadays, but the fares were double and the journey took a day longer than when the union was formed. Australia had yet to be satisfied that the wireless merger meant an adequate reduction in the scale of charges and the development of services. He had had experience, of big corporations, and was convinced that the union should never cease striving to achieve a cheapening of the rates and improved facilities. The meeting remitted, to the council the matter of air routes. Lord Burnham was/ re-elected president. .