EMPIRE AIR MAILS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22333, 3 February 1936, Page 9

EMPIRE AIR MAILS

BRITISH PROPOSALS AUSTRALIAN REJECTION CANBERRA. Feb. 1 The Federal Cabinet has decided that it cannot agree to the adoption of the British Government's proposals that all first-class mail matter between Australia and Britain should be carried, from next year, by air in British machines conducting an Lmpiro air mail service instead of by subsidised shipping services. The Cabinet decided in favour of the retention of Australian control of the existing service between Sydney and Singapore, and will be prepared, early in 1937, to introduce an improved and accelerated bi-weekly service between those points with higb-speoc: aircraft. CONCERN IN LONDON CONSEQUENCES OF DECISION FRESH PLAN POSSIBLE LONDON. Feb. 1 Government quartsrs are astonished at the Federal Cabinet's flat rejection of the main principles in the Imperial air mail proposals. They see in this a severe check to the scheme whereby it was hoped by 1937 to produce flat rate air mail charges throughout the Empire. It had been realised that the opposition to unified control of the London to Sydney service and also the use of flying-boats throughout had grown in Australia in, recent months, but such an uncompromising rejection wa» not expected. It is pointed out that one consequence of the Australian decision may be that in 1937 an air mail letter will be posted anywhere in the Empire for lid per half-ounce, except in Australia and New Zealand, where perhaps it will still be in the neighbourhood of Is 3d.

The cost of the air mail to Australia already, is more than double those in other parts of the Empire, and the British Government is so anxious to see a unified Empire scheme that fresh proposals may be made to Australia. Another disappointing feature to Britain is that the decision holds up the direct transtasman flying-boat link by which it was hoped ultimately to connect the transpacific service. It is understood that the remainder of the 1937 scheme will proceed according, to schedule, though it is uncertain whether all the fleet of 29 flying-boats ordered will be necessary now. The News Chronicle's aviation writer says ho understands that immediate representations are to be made to the Australian Government in an endeavour to reach an agreement which will not break the Anglo-Aus-tralian air transport plan in halves.