NO ORDINARY AIRMAIL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 12 June 1945, Page 5

NO ORDINARY AIRMAIL

ENGLAND-SYDNEY SEuTICE N.Z. ANNOUNCEMENT NOT CONFIRMED (Rec. 11.10 a.m.) London, June 11 No ordinary air mail, is being carried by the new Lancastrian service from England to Sydney, it was reiterated in London to-day by officials of the Post Office, 8.0.A.C. and Air Ministry. “A small quantity of diplomatic and official mail only is*being taken by this service las directed by the Air Priorities Board of the Air Ministry,” said an Air Ministry official. ‘This service is entirely under the control of the Air Priorities Board. The 8.0.A.C. operates the servee as dictated by it,' stated a 8.0.A.C. officiaT. An official of the Post Office, speaking on behalf of the Postmaster-General, said : “While no ordinary mail is carried by this new Lancastrian service, there is an air letter service which is dispatched daily. But no ordinary air mail goes by the India route, save for a limited quantity for the forces in the Far East. Ordinary air mail to New Zealand still goes by air to America, thence by sea ” Referring to a statement in New Zealand by the Postmaster-Gen-eral, Mr Jones, who said ne confidently expected ordinary air mail to receive all-air transmission, making the London to Auckland time eight days, this Post Office official said: “We have heard nothing about it We cannot give an estimate of when this may be expected.” It was emphasised both by the Post Office and 8.0.A.C. that all the present services are being run under the directitn of the Air Priorities Board and it is impossible yet to say what is planned for the future A postal official at New Zealand House stated: “We know of no proposal at the moment as regards instituting a civil air mail sc"/ s ce to Now Zealand.’’