AIR MAIL DELIVERY

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 163, 7 April 1934, Page 8

AIR MAIL DELIVERY

Defence Department Given Assistance USE OF SERVICE PLANES The enterprise of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and Mr. C. T. P. Ulm in pioneering tlie carriage of mails in the Southern Cross and Faith in Australia, respectively, between Australia and New Zealand will receive a further fillip by the arrangements now completed for the distribution of the air mail on arrival in Ngw Plymouth to some of the principal centres of the Dominion by Air Force machines of the Defence Department. A proposal that the Defence Department help the Post and Telegraph Department in delivering the air mail quickly in both islands has been receiving the consideration of the Minister of Defence, Hon. J. G. Cobbe, for some time. The Minister stated last evening that it had now been found possible for the Air Force branch of the Defence Department to link up in the enterprise of demonstrating the possibilities of air mails. “The use of service aeroplanes,” said Mr. Cobbe, “has been authorised to distribute the trans-Tasman air mails due to arrive at New Plymouth on Wednesday next by the Faith in Australia. Tne planes will be used for the transport of the mails from New Plymouth to Auckland. Wellington and. possibly, Christchurch. Should the South Island portion of the mail be small and the time of arrival permit, a machine from Wigram Aerodrome will carry it on its homeward journey.” Mr. Cobbe added that, quite apart from tlie interest philatelists took in the air mail stamps, it was evident from the large number of letters carried in'the initial trips of the Faith in Australia and the Southern Cross that there were many relatives and friends residing in tlie two countries. They would, no doubt.- appreciate the expedition of the delivery of the mails by the arrangement it had now been found practicable to make.