AERIAL MAIL SERVICE

Evening Star, Issue 20671, 19 December 1930, Page 9

AERIAL MAIL SERVICE

HO IMMEDIATE PROSPECT ISpxciai. to thi ‘Stax.’] AUCKLAND, December IS.' ** The smallest sum required was £36,000, and we have not got that to spend on an aerial mail service,” said the Hon. J. B. Donald (PostmasterGeneral) at the opening of the Mount Albert Post Office, when referring to the failure of the companies interested to tender in accordance with the requirements of the contract. The Minister repeated his previous statement that before the tenders were called the Government bad made it clear that a subsidy would not be given, and that the successful tenderer would receive the revenue from the aerial stamps, less 7$ per ccnt._ to cover the cost of the carriage of mails to the terminal ports. Several companies had considered the offer a fair one, but when it came to the actual contracting the money apparently had got the better of them, and they decided that they required a fixed sura to carry out the service. “ I was sony when I opened the tenders to find they were not satisfactory,” the Minister added. "We are therefore not to have an aerial mail service for the time being. It will have to wait, but it will come eventually.” A Voice: It is not necessary yet. The Minister agreed, adding that the country at present possessed a very efficient postal service.