Empire Air-mail

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 159, 8 July 1938, Page 6

Empire Air-mail

DETAILS OE SCHEME ANNOUNCED BY PREMIER Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 7. A statement relating to the Empire air-mail scheme was issued by the Prime Minister to-day. He said that commencing on July 26 the postage rrtc on letters for all Empire countries (except Australia), including Protectorates and mandated territories, also Egypt, will be l£d for each half ounce. After that date all letters and postcards exchanged between New Zealand and Empire countries served by the Austra-lia-England and England-South Africa services, would be forwarded by air as the normal means of despatch. For the present New Zealand correspondence for Empire countries will be forwarded to Australia by steamer to connect with the air service at Sydney. The transit time for letter mails forwarded from New Zealand to Britain will be not more than fourteen days, or about half the average transit time by the existing surface transport. The last despatch of letter mails by sea to ihe United Kingdom will be from Auckland on July 25. The first air service under the Empire scheme will commence at Sydney on August 9, and the last despatches from New Zealand to connect with the service will be by the Wanganella from Wellington on August 4. and the Mariposa on August r>. There will be no change In the postage rates for postcaras, newspapers, packets and parcels. With the cxcep- I tion of postcards, these articles will i continue to be forwarded by sea. From July 26 also the letter postage j rate to all foreign countries except Egypt will be the Postal Union rate of 21 d for the first ounce, and l£d for each succeeding ounce. Letters for ( foreign countries will continue to be , forwarded by sea unless the existing special charges for air despatch are paid.

Mr. Savage said that Mr. W. J. Jordan would represent New Zealand at the conference in London to flnalisr details in connection with the trans-G-man service.