AIR MAIL SERVICES

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 12 February 1921, Page 6

AIR MAIL SERVICES

POSTAL RESULTS POOR

(By Telegraph—Special to the Star.> "WELLINGTON, Feb. IQ. . The postal authorities report that,.' from a purely postal point ot view, the Christchurcb-Timaru experimental aviation service is not profitable. Since thefirst few days, when letters by air mail were novelties^ the postal bag has been nearly empty. Only a dozen or so let.ters have been carried each -way on an • average, and often there have been no passengers. It is probable that the service will be discontinued after the trial period. It was not expected that the . route would be a good one from a business viewpoint,, as there are already good mail services provided by the trains. The service was inaugurated as a test of reliability, and-if results are deemed satisfactory in this respect it is probable that the machines will be transferred to the Ghristchurch-Bleh-heim route at the beginning of March. '- This service is expected to pay much better, as the carriage of mails by air will practically reduce by one' day the time taken for a letter to travel rrom Marlborough or Nelson to Canterbury. Before the end of this month all surveys preparatory to the commencement of the service "will be completed. A start has not yet been made with. the service from Auckland to Whanga- - rei and Dargaville, but this, when comenced, is expected to be a great con- . venience, as at present these-'districts - I have only a tri-weekly -mail service by : steamer. When a special maichihe ar- . rives suitable foi communication with Gisborne, this town Vill be linked Tip, ' either with Auckland or Napier. '<