AIR MAILS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 71, 25 March 1931, Page 11

AIR MAILS

DOMINION SERVICES

FEW LETTERS CARRIED

KEEN COLLECTORS

The world's large army of philatelists, which is the polite name for those whose hobby is tho collecting of postxge stamps—whether for fun or for profit—is turning its attention more and more to air stamps and to what arc called "air-flown covers." Many countries now have special issues of stamps for franking mail carried by aircraft, and amongst the latest commemorative issues intended for this purpose is an Australian one in honour of Kingston! Smith's flight.

Air mail services in New Zealand, however, have rather hung fire, and Micro has as yet arisen no need for special air stamps. Iv spite of that, the dominion can probably . claim with a high degree ' or> justification to be amongst tho first countries in the world to have special air" stamps, and this, Irish as it may sound, in tho days long before aeroplanes were practical propositions. This was brought about by the fact that two companies operating on Great Barrier Island, somo fifty miles from Auckland, inaugurated in IS9S a pigeon post to communicate with the city, although there was a post office at" Port Fitzroy. As the pigeon post was contrary to postal regulations, it was fairly quickly suppressed. These pigeon post stamps now have a value of from £1 to £5. Until recently there was but small demand for them, but as forerunners of aerial stamps they are now recognised by air stamp collectors. Only on comparatively few occasions has mail matter been carried by aeroplane in Now Zealand, and on these iccasions without any special stamps. Extra postage lias boon charged, and letters and packets have been stamped on occasion with special rubber stamps. Covers so marked have a certain market value, if they are genuine. Therein lies a field for the faker, but enthusiastic philatelists arc protecting themttelves by the formation of an Air Mail Society of Now Zealand and have an expert committee to decide whether New Zealand flown covers are genuine or otherwise.

THE FIRST AIR MAIL.

It was in December, 1919, that the Postal authorities in New Zealand first countenanced the carriage of mails by aircraft, a bag containing letters and newspapers being conveyed from Auckland to Dargaville. During the three following years various flights were made over selected routes, but the services wore only experimental. Public support was apparently not forthcoming, and the idea of air mails fell into abeyance. The Murchison earthquake in June the year before last showed the use of the aeroplane in mail services when all ordinary means of communication had been dislocated, and more recently the Hawkes Bay disaster has shown the same thing.

Not long ago the Postmaster-General invited tenders for the carriage of mails by air. But the companies fixed their terms at too high a level and practically demanded a subsidy. No tender was therefore accepted, and organised air mail services in the Dominion are still a dream of the future.

SPASMODIC SERVICES,

The breakdown in the contemplated arrangements for contract flights has, however, not .prevented air mail being carried on occasions. On 6th November last year some mail was carried from Chriatchurch to Dunedin and vice versa, but on that day only 3d additional postage was charged. According to the official records the mail to Dunedin comprised 518 ordinary and 6 registered letters, and the return mail 30(3 ordinary letters only. Some bore the pilot's signature, and thesn are what collectors like to have. On the assumption that the mail would bn carried on subsequent flights over this route, letters were posted both at Dunedin and Christchureh with the requisite additional postage, but they went by train and the Post Office reaped the benefit.

Towards the end of December last year an air mail was carried between Hastings find Gisborne, tho operating company at first stamping letters with their own special rubber stamp, bearing tho company's name and acknowledgment of tho sixpenny charge. This latter, however, was strictly against the provisions of the Post and Telegraph Act, so letters subsequently bore a label without an expression of value. The high rate charged did not' make the service popular, and the covers are rare. ANOMALY IN POSTMARKS. There is a curious feature about the postmarking of these Ha stings-Gisborne air-carried letters. It appears that the company, had approached the Postmasters at Hastings and Gisborne, and had obtained permission from them to carry the mails. At the same time it was arranged to enable the company to make the necessary additional charge, that the mail should be collected at the office of the company. Mail from Hastings, to Gisborne was made up into a sealed bag at the office of the local agent, and was then conveyed to the Hastings aerodrome by car, where tho bag was handed to tho pilot. On arrival at the aerodrome at Gisborne the mail was taken by the pilot to the post office and there the letters wero postmarked. As a consequence, letters from Hastings to Gisborne were postmarked at' Gisborne, and letters posted at Gisborne for Hastings boro the Hastings postmark.