Empire Air Mail

Northern Advocate, 16 July 1938, Page 5

Empire Air Mail

The Postmaster-General, the Hon. F. Jones, said yesterday that the question of flying the Empire air mail on inland air services was being considered by the Government in connection with the coming extension of the air mail service across the Tasman

The Minister made it clear that in the meantime correspondence would be distributed, by train or steamer from the point of arrival, unless the charge for inland air despatch was paid in the country of origin.

The obv.-ouf, advantages of quick distribution were realised, but the handling of the loads involved until the trans-Tasman service came into operation and the cost of the service were factors to be considered.

Mr Jones added that it was quite impracticable to make any arrangement by which correspondence for the firms desirous of such a service could be picked out at the port of arrival and forwarded in New Zealand by air. He thought that this would be obvious to everyone when it was mentioned that an average of at least 120.000 letters would be received from Britain alone each week.