OVERSEAS AIR MAILS

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 20, 18 October 1944, Page 6

OVERSEAS AIR MAILS

Scale Of Postage Rates Advice to senders not to post any further air-mail correspondence for flic United Kingdom and countries in Europe prepaid at the rate of 2/6 or 3/6 a halfounce. or any further letters addressed to prisoners of war prepaid at the rate of 3/- a half-ounce, was given yesterday by the Postmaster-General, Air. Webb. He stated that recent advice received from the British Post Office in regard to the transmission times of air-mails from New Zealand showed that the air service introduced early iu July last at the rate of 1/6 a half-ounce for correspondence addressed to the United Kingdom and certain other countries, and which provided for surface transmission over a section of tile route, was now slightly better than the 2/6 and 3/6 services which also involved sea transmission over some sections. There was. theit-fore. nothing to be gained by prepaying correspondence at the higher rates mentioned. The 1/6 service for ordinary airmail letters, combined with the new lightweight air letter-card service (all air transmission), meant that the air conimiinicntibh services to British countries in Africa and Europe were considerably better than they had been since tbo beginning of 1942. In regard to correspondence addressed to prisoners of war, Air. Webb stated that the 1/- postage rate for prisoner-of-war airmail letters would be retained because it would provide for communications not suitable for forwarding by means of the 6d. lightweight air lettercard. The Alinister also advised persons desiring quick communication with members of the forces in the Middle East to use the air letter-card service or the airgraph servie-. Letters for Iho forces in the Aliddlc East prepaid at sd. a halfotinee for air transit to Australia ami llmneo hv surfiiec menus' to destination gained little, if liny, advantage over letters sent direct from Now Zealand by surface moans.