EMPIRE AIR MAILS.

Evening Star, Issue 22571, 12 February 1937, Page 8

EMPIRE AIR MAILS.

It has been suggested that the negotiations over an air mail service between the British, Australian, and New Zealand Governments have been unduly protracted. That is not really the case when the complicated nature of the arrangements is taken into account. A mass of detail had to be arranged, including consideration of the types of aircraft most suitable for the work, the route to be followed, subsidies to be paid, ground organisation, postal rates, and numerous other matters in which in some cases differences in the point of view had to be composed. The discussions between the British and Australian Governments have had a successful issue. An agreement has been reached, and its main features are explained. This announcement gave umbrage to Mr Savage, who evidently thought that New Zealand had been slighted in the matter. The Prime Minister resented the action of Britain and Australia in coming to an arrangement without waiting for this Dominion’s participation in the scheme, and further in permitting publication of a matter that was understood-to be confidential. The Federal Prime Minister makes a reasonable answer to the complaint by pointing out that the present agreement directly concerns Britain and Australia, and that the undertaking to refrain from publication till New Zealand had been consulted referred to the Tasman service, and that obligation had been faithfully honoured. The conquest of the air in the last quarter of a century has proceeded methodically, till now air traffic is inseparable from the life of every civilised community. The speeding up of communications with the Mother Country has been the aim of every Australian and New Zealand Government since mutual Fade assumed considerable proportions. It is an irresistible demand not yet satisfied, and the present agreement is an illustration of the urge for acceleration. The extension of the new service across the Tasman presents special problems, and though there is no indication that a plan has been completed so far, the matter cannot long be delayed. Points that caused delay in reaching an agreement between Australia and Britain were the insistence on the part of the Federal Ministry that the Commonwealth should retain control of the Sydney-Singapore section route and the preference of 'the British Government for the use of flying boats on this section. These matters were mutually adjusted, and with other details settled it is expected that the new service will be inaugurated on the first day of next year. The effect will be that the route between Sydney and London is r to bo.covered in ten and a-quarter days at first, but this period or time will be reduced by three days when lighting and other ground organisation services along the route have been completed, permitting regular flying by night.

The aim of the British Government of establishing a minimum flat rate for postage has not been achieved, but no doubt it will come. First class mail matter from the United Kingdom is to be carried to Australia from Britain at the ordinary postal rate of lid per half-ounce, but the surcharge of 6d per half-ounce on mails from Australia is to be retained in the meantime. The completion of a friendly agreement, involving many debatable points and divergent views is a matter for congratulation. It is an illustration of enterprise and progress, and it will be of great value to the industrial and trading communities of the Empire which are affected by this new arrangement.