EMPIRE AIR MAIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 December 1934, Page 5

EMPIRE AIR MAIL

ARRIVAL AT AUCKLAND [FEB PBESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, December 26. The first Empire air mail to arrive in New Zealand was delivered in Auckland to-day, when four bags, containing nearly 7000 letters, and a special bag with mail for the Duke of Gloucester, were landed from the Orient liner Oronsay. The consignment which weighed 168 lbs., was despatched from Croydon on December 8, with fitting ceremony, by the Minister of Air and the Postmaster-Gen-eral. Included in the royal mail are letters from the King and Queen and Prince of Wales addressed to the Go-vernor-General, Lord Bledisloe, and other letters from British Ministers to members of the New Zealand Cabinet. A small blue bag with letters for the Duke of Gloucester was the first to be taken off the Oronsay when the liner berthed, about four o’clock this afternoon. Other bags came oft shortly after. The southern portion connected with the Main Trunk express, which left for Wellington at 7 o’clock this evening. The Empire air mail was delayed to a slight extent in Australia, where one of the machines carrying the valuable consignment was damaged through striking a stone when taking off at Camooweal. In spite of a great attempt to get the New Zealand portion through, it was impossible to reach Sydney in time to connect with the Monowai. Had the mail been in time for the Monowai, it would have arrived in Auckland exactly two days earlier, or 16 days out from England.

SECOND MAIL [BY CABLE— T ””’ ae ’ »anN —OOPVJnGHT.I DARWIN, December 26. Two mail planes are bringing the second Empire air mail, weighing six hundred lbs. to the Eastern States, the Imperial Airways Company machine Aurora having landed at Darwin yesterday evening.