AIR MAIL RECORD

Grey River Argus, 3 December 1938, Page 4

AIR MAIL RECORD

NOVEMBER’S INCREASE. WELLINGTON, December 1. The volume of air mail carried by commercial aeroplanes operating on New Zealand services continues to show a steady increase, and during .November a new record "was established for inland air mails in the Dominion. Between November 14 and November 20, postings exceeded 50,000 letters, the highest total recorded for one week since the inception of regular air mall services in New Zealand. In the first month of the operation of Union Airways’ Palmerston North-Blenheim-Christchurch-Dunedin service, inaugurated in .1936, only 12,000 letters . were carried by air.! The average number of air mail let-; ters posted before November 14, 1938, was about 46,000 each week, though during the week ended November 6, 1938 postings were slightly in excess of 49,000. Outward English air mail posted under the all-up scheme for transit by air .between Sydney and' London is also increasing in qua’htity. When the Awatea left Auckland on Wednesday, she carried the largest English air mail yet posted in New Zealand, the total weight of the consignment being 4,1391 b. The mail is due at London on December 19, in ample time for full distribution in the United Kingdom before Christmas.

“The fact that the Awatea’s mail was so heavy indicates that people are posting early this Christmas,” said a postal officer to-day. ■ November was a record month for outwatd English air mail, and a total of 14,8871 b. of first-class matter left New Zealand during that period. In October, 7,1311 b. of. English air mail were dispatched from the Dominion. For the previous month, postings totalled 8,4481 b. and, in August, the first month of the all-up ' scheme, 9,4121 b. of air! mail left New Zealand.