EMPIRE AIR MAILS

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 February 1935, Page 5

EMPIRE AIR MAILS

CONFERENCE IN SYDNEY AUSTRALIAN DIFFICULTIES [by CABLE—PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] SYDNEY, February 25. The Air Mail Conference opened today. It isSattended by Mr Parkhill (Minister of Defence), who is chairman; Mr McLachlan (PostmasterGeneral) and' other Commonwealth Defence, Postal and Aviation officials, also the New Zealanders, Messrs A. Hamilton and McNamara; and the British delegation, Messrs (Williamson, Bertram and It-is expected to last three days. Welcoming the British and New Zealand delegates, Mr Parkhill said there appeared to be grave difficulties in applying the British air mail scheme to the Australian conditions. The use of flying boats for the service would involve the opening of a new coastwise route, from Darwin to Sydney, which, he said, the Commonwealth would be loath sto adopt, because of the additional expense. it meant, and because the Commonwealth has already gone a considerable distance in developing the land plane service between these centres. He added that other grave difficulties would arise from the adoption of the principle of the carriage of all first-class mail by air without any surcharge. This would necessitate the use of very large aircraft on the overseas service, and it would cost the Commonwealth in the vicinity of £200,000 a year. Mi- Williamson said: This scheme is so gigantic and the points of detail are so numerous and important, that it would be difficult to discuss it in the ordinary way. Hence this delegation has been sent to Australia. We hope to show that it will not be nearly so expensive as the Australians appear to believe. It is a great Imperial scheme, and there has never been anvthing really like it before.

The conference then began its .deliberations in private. It is understood that no questions involving New Zealand have yet been reached.

The delegates were entertained by the Commonwealth Government at a private dinner, to-night.