SPEEDIER EMPIRE AIR MAILS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 11, 8 October 1936, Page 12

SPEEDIER EMPIRE AIR MAILS

New Slogan, “2500 Miles in 24 Hours” GROUND ORGANISATION IMPORTANT A speeding up of air mail services was advocated at the congress of the Chambers of Commerce of tbe British Empire yesterday. A remit was carried supporting the British Government’s scheme for the carriage of Empire air mails, and suggesting a 24hour schedule, covering at least 2500 miles in the 24 hours. The full text of the remit is as follows The Congress welcomes the British Government’s scheme for the carriage by air in 1937 of Imperial first-class mail without surcharge. While appreciating the great value of this development to the business community this congress urges that air mails should be operated on a twenty-four-hour schedule, and further urges that air mail services should cover at least ”500 miles in the twenty-four hours. To this end the congress desires to impress upon tbe Governments of the Empire the great importance of'providing, without delay, adequate ground organisation along the Empire air routes, 1 in order to make as easy as possible the operation of the air mail services by night as well as by day. Moving,, the remit, Mr. F. W. Parsons (London; said that the London chamber, through its civil aviation section, had followed very closely the development of the flying service. Tbe British Government had done the right thing in deciding to popularise the air mail charges and should be congratulated.

“We say that while we appreciate the great value to the British community of this cheapening of the air mail charges, it is of prime importance that the service shall be speeded up,” said Mr. Parsons. “We say also that the question of adequate ground organisation, which should include both navigational aids and equipment at stopping points, requires immediate and intensive action. This would be true in any case, but, as the resolution indicates, its importance has become critical in face of the scheme to speed up the service.

“No doubt by (he lime this congress reassembles in 1939 we shall be asking for some still speedier service,” said Mr. Parsons, "hut for the moment I ask the congress, by passing the London Chamber resolution, to focus public attention throughout the Empire, upon our considered slogan of ‘2500 miles in 2-1 hours,’ and its necessary corollary that no stone be left unturned Io ensure that such a service functions smoothly and with safety to all concerned.” “To study any adequate statement on the position of existing air services is to realise that aviation has gone far beyond the experimental stage and has become one of the world’s most important means of intercommunication,” said Mr. A. A. Ross (Auckland), seconding the remit. “As an example of how it is expanding, we find that Empire air mails increased from 55,2001 b. in the March quarter of 1935 to 74,9001 b. in the March quarter of 1930, an increase of 36 per cent. As showing how the Empire is being linked together by trunk lines, we find that there arc four services each way weekly between England and Egypt, two to South Africa aud two to India, Malaya and Australia, besides numerous comioctious and branch lines. The lime saved varies from two days in the ease of Egypt to niyeleeu and one-half days in the case of Australia. The transport of goods is becoming increasingly important, including as it does bullion from South Africa and samples of many Empire products inward, while on the outward trips there are carried merchants and manufacturers’ samples, spare parts of machinery, many lines of goods of high value in small bulk and goods to fill urgent orders. The service is becoming increasingly valuable and should in the near future be near enough to self-supporting financially. “The latest aiim.mm-eimnl." continned Mr. Ross, "is that a new line of flying-boats is being introduced by Imperial Airways consisting of 28

eighteen-ton aircraft, which will still further reduce tbe timetable. Under it Calcutta will-be reached in two days, Johannesburg in four days and Brisbane in seven days. In tbe last twelve months Imperial Airways have carried more passengers than all foreign lines put together, the numbers being 11,000 in 1924-25 and 62,000 in 1934-35. As showing how air transport can aid development, the New Guinea goldfield may be mentioned. In the initial stages tlie only available means of transport was by native bearers, taking 14 days from tbe coast to the field. By air tlie journey takes half an hour, ami up to date a total of 30,000 tons of freight and 30,000 passengers have been carried.

“We cannot say that Great Britain is not doing her duty in this important work, but some of the oulposts of Em pire (for instance, New Zealand) do not seem as yet to be sufficiently airminded or to realise how vital air transport is bound to become. 1 think that anything we can do to emphasise the need to be fully alive to the possibilities in this matter should be done.’’ The remit was carried. Mr. Parsons also moved:— This congress, recognising the vital importance, .for the development of the Imperial air-mail services, of an adequate and unified system of radio aids to air navigation, urges His Majesty’s Governments to use their influence at the I nternational Telecommunications Conference, which is to meet in Cairo in 1938, to ensure that the wavelengths allocated for use by aircraft shall be exclusive to them and sufficient in number. Mr. Paxton seconded the motion, which was carried without further discussion. On the motion of Mr. M. I). Mcßride (West Indies), the following resolution was carried unanimously:— That with a view to increasing the use of the air-mail service, by the reduction of the high rate of postage on letters through that medium, the minimum weight of air-mail letters lie reduced from one half to one quarter ounce, and that the postage thereon be correspondingly reduced.