LINKS OF EMPIRE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 11, 14 July 1928, Page 9

LINKS OF EMPIRE

CABLES AND WIRELESS AIR MAIL POSSIBILITIES PENNY POST NOT YET United tress Association—By Electric Telesraph—Copyright. . * ustrallan Press Association. london;' 12th July. In the House of Commons, Mr. J. I. Macpherson (L.), referring to the Imperial Cables and Wireless Conference, asked if the proposed new communications company would be on State or private ownership lines It was most important, and it was also important to know whether the Post Office advocated that it should be a State or a private company. He welcomed the suggestion in the Press forecast of the report that a proportion of the profits was being reserved for reduction of rates. The Post Office should be run on those lines, but the Exchequer had always been ready to seize the surpluses. Mr. Macpherson complained that despite the great postal surplus reversion to penny post was no nearer.. UP TO DOMINIONS. Commander Burney (C.) called attention to the possibilities of an air.mail service, stating that the PostmasterGeneral should get into touch with the Governments of India, Australia, Now Zealand, and South Africa, and ask them to come to.a definite conclusion as to how they proposed to handle the whole question of transocean air mails. Tho Minister's reply did . not refer to the Cables and Wireless Conference. He said the Post Office was anxious to encourage an air mail. A hundred •thousand pounds weight of letters and parcels had been dispatched abroad in that manner last year. Practically speaking, tho whole Empire was covered by air mail service, with railway connections. The Post Oce was anticipating the keenest interest in air ship development, which was promised in the autumn.