AIR MAIL SERVICES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22368, 15 September 1934, Page 14

AIR MAIL SERVICES

HOMELAND AND NEW ZEALAND RAPID CARRIAGE OF MAILS (From Ouk Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, September 14. The extension of the London-Karachi air mail service to Australia, which will probably be effected towards the end of this year, will bring New Zealand to within 17 or 18 days’ mail service of Britain. The significance of this arrangement is emphasised in the annual report of the Post and Telegraph Department, which was presented to the House of Representatives to-day. The report states that the extension of the service to Singapore, achieved last year, was of no benefit to New Zealand because of the lack of suitable connecting steamer services, but that the 1 through service to Australia, when in operation, would offer great possibilities. The time table for the Austral ia-Singapore section had not yet been announced, but with thd speeding up recently accomplished on the London-Singapore route it was expected that Sydney would be reached from London in less than a fortnight, bringing mails to New Zealand in 17 or 18 days if a good connection were made at Sydney with vessels sailing for New Zealand. Further, it seemed not improbable, in view of the several successful tranetasman flights which had been made, particularly in recent months, that before many years had passed the England-Australia service would be extended to New Zealand, thus providing a connection that should reduce to not more than 14 days the transit time of mails exchanged between the Homeland and New Zealand, which was a little less than half the average time now taken in the transit of mails from New Zealand to England, via North America.

The importance to New Zealand of the extension to Australia of the EnglandIndia air service had been recognised in a tangible way by the Government. On the inanimation of a through service, and on the understanding that suitable connections would be maintained in Australia with steamers to and from New Zealand, a contribution of £SOOO per annum would be made by New Zealand in the proportion of three-fifths to the Government of Britain and two-fifths to the Government of Australia, the ■basis of the division coinciding with the distance of the extensions (KarachiSingapore and Singapore-Australia) for which each Administration would be responsible. \ Apart from the desirability of New Zealand being a partner in this entirely Empire enterprise from its inception, on account of its potential value to the Dominion, the payment would ensure that New Zealand’s requirements were given consideration when the time tables were being arranged. In addition, it was an earnest of the Dominion’s approval of the steps taken to extend the Empire service and improve communications with the Old Country,