Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1937. AIR MAIL SERVICE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 155, 2 June 1937, Page 8

Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1937. AIR MAIL SERVICE.

In January next the air mail service will commence between England and Australia. This is part of the 15-year scheme of Empire air mails outlined in the Waite Baper published last week in London, Avkereby there ivill be nine services weekly to and from Egypt, five to and from India, three each to and from East Africa and the Straits Settlement, and tivo each to and from South Africa and Australia. In the provisional list 28 Empire countries have accepted participation in the scheme, and at first London will be brought within ten days of Sydney, with a progressive reduction to one iveek. -Britain’s plan is that all first-class mails shall be carried by air at a flat postage rate of lid per half ounce for letters and id for postcards, the cheapest the world knows, but it will not escape notice that for Australians the rate will b® 5d per half-ounce as against Is 6d ruling to-day. Imperial Airways will receive from the British Government £9,000,000 in subsidies and for its part it has agreed to maintain its fleet of flying-boats and aeroplanes on a most modern basis. This tremendous scheme cannot fail to send a thrill round the Empire, but it must cause disappointment here in that as yet we are unable to participate. The British Government is not responsible for this. Its readiness to assist in the organisation of the trans-Tasman section and generously subsidise it has been widely known, but so far the difficulties of control between Australia and New Zealand have not been overcome. Until the deadlock has been resolved Neiv Zealand must remain outside the vast scheme ivith its cheapness and swift transport. The solution should not be delayed a moment longer than is necessary.

The growth of air transport has been one of the wonders of the century. To-day there are routes all over the Avorld and nearly every town Avitli oyer half a million inhabitants is hoav linked. The United States has played, a remarkable part in the development of this traffic. In 1935 its, five leading companies covered 48.4 million miles in commercial flying against 25.8 million miles by the five leading European companies. Last year witnessed still further advancement on both sides of the Atlantic, Paris, Marseilles, Beilin, and Moscqav rank among the most important of air traffic junctions. From Europe links in the international systems are from Marseilles to West Africa and along the Mediterranean to EgAipt; the trans-Indian land route, and the passage from Dakar to Brazil across* , the South

Atlantic. ,Tlie United States lias its Pacific run stretching from San Francisco to Manila, and which in time will reach Hong Kong. Next year, if plans fructify, New Zealand will be linked with San Francisco. Russian scientists have lately flown to the North Pole, there to study weather conditions for a year, which may have an important bearing upon a future service to the United States from the Soviet. Other leading countries are studying the North Atlantic route between Europe and America. This is the one missing link in the world system, but experiments in train suggest that it will be supplied in the not distant future. A striking parallel has been shown between the United States and Britain. The latter’s air routes in Africa and the‘Levant, with the long arm flung out through India and Singapore to Australia, are almost exactly counterbalanced by the American air-net around South America and the new arm reaching across the Pacific towards Asia. The development of this traffic has meant well planned experiments and careful preparation before its consummation,, but always there is progress. Now comes the British Government’s great 15-year scheme to carry all first-class Imperial mails by air, which the International Chamber of Commerce regards as the most inspiring decision for air traffic yet imade.