MAILS BY AIR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22045, 27 February 1935, Page 11

MAILS BY AIR

EMPIEE SERVICE

CONFERENCE IN* SYDNEY

DIFFICULTY OVER RATE

EXTENSION TO NEW ZEALAND

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received February 2G. 11.35 p.m.) SYDNEY, Feb. 26

The New Zealand delegates to the air mail conference in Sydney attended the Airways Exhibition, which was officially opened to-night by the Hon. R. A. Parkhill, Minister of Defence. The exhibition includes photographs of the EnglandAustralia air route and models of many types of aeroplanes, especially those employed in the air mail service. *

The Hon. A. Hamilton congratulated the Commonwealth Government on the development of aviation, adding that the flight to New Zealand by SquadronLeader J. D. Hewett* and Flying-Officer C. E. Kay, after competing in the Centenary air race, demons!rated the feasibility of linking up the Dominion with the great Empire air services. He paid a tribute to the pioneering work of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and the late Mr. C. T. P. Ulm in this respect. Fifteen Years' Agreement Mr. Parkhill, who is presiding at the conference, states that if the air mail proposals of the British delegation are accepted by Australia, a fifteen years' agreement, providing for revision every three years, will be sought. The Minister said the question of the extent to which the agreement could be entered' into had not yet been resolved. The Sydney Sun says it is understood the Australian arid New Zealand delegates still hold the view that the rate of ljd an ounce, proposed by Britain, would impose a prohibitive cost on the Commonwealth and the Dominion and that a move is being made to strike a compromise rate of 2JdIt is also understood that some delegates may suggest that flying boats be employed between" Singapore and Darwin and aeroplanes between Darwin and Sydney, as an' alternative to the proposal to employ flying boats throughout. Trans-Tasman Service No official statement relating to the discussions of the conference has yet been issued, but it is believed the question of a trans-Tasman air service was considered to-day, the proposal being for a weekly service between Sydney and New Zealand.

Mr. Hamilton stated to-night that the conference had been engaged in discussing many intricate problems. There were still a few Australian difficulties to be overcome and until that was achieve*! it would not be possible to proceed further with a discussion of the position as it applied to New Zealand.