AIR MAIL SERVICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20596, 21 June 1930, Page 10

AIR MAIL SERVICES.

LONDON TO AUSTRALIA* COMPLETING FINAL' LINK. START EXPECTED NEXT YEAR. Tfrom our own correspondent.] SYDNEY, Juno 13. The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Scullin ? having decided that the final link in any air mail service from Britain or the Continent to Australia must be British controlled, the extension of the Great Eastern air route to the Commonwealth is now being the subject of negotiations between the British and Commonwealth Governments. Already the route is in operation as far as Delhi and Calcutta; the remainder of the route to Singapore has been thoroughly surveyed; and the final lap between Singapore and Darwin has been pioneered, and nparfc from the seasonable weather conditions appears to offer no insuperable difficulties to a regular service. A final decision will not be reached until Mr. Scullin visits London later in the year but it is confidently expected p Australia that the complete sorvice to London will be in operation early next year. One difficulty is that of finance. Mr. Scullin has pointed out that while the project for a regular air service between Australia and Great Britain is viewed sympathetically in this country, there are important considerations to be taken into account. Australia's share of the subsidy required to support the service in its early stages amounts to £600,000, spread over five years. Furthermore, such a/service, having ita terminal at Darwin, will require an Australian auxiliary to link it up with the capital cities, and, lastly, Australia desires to have its, say in the control of the services. All these matters will be threshed out with the British Air Ministry. So far no flights between Australia and Britain have been made in the latest high-powered, three-engined machines .which elsewhere have demonstrated the annihilation of distances over long routes. It is probable, however, that before long Hinkler's record of days, made alone in a small-powered machine, .will be eclipsed with the advent of highpowered machines on the route, carrying relief pilots and capable of making hops of 2000 or 3000 miles. Monsoonal conditions past Calcutta .will for ever- bo a serious problem, but .will not seriously affect the possibility of a regular service which will be of the .utmost value, especially in the direction of speeding up special mail matter.