FLYING-BOAT MAIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23107, 5 February 1937, Page 11

FLYING-BOAT MAIL

DELAY IN NEGOTIATIONS AUSTRALIA’S ATTITUDE (From Our Own Correspondent) SYDNEY, Jan. 30. There has been another hitch in the flying boat mail service negotiations between the British and Commonwealth Governments. It is understood that Australia seeks authority to withdraw from the 15-years’ agreement if the “service is not satisfactory. Britain is unwilling to have such a clause inserted unless it sets out precisely what “unsatisfactory service means. No objection is taken by Britain to penalty clauses in the agreement for late delivery, nor to a scheme of progressive acceleration of the service. Australia’s attitude has been classed as selfish, as it is holding up the New Zealand service. It has been pointed out that because of Australia’s refusal to carry air mails without surcharge, Imperial Airways will need to operate three boats a week to Australia to carry the surcharged English mail, while two will be sufficient to carry the surcharged return mail. “Any proposals to date to accelerate the speed of the flying boat service and improve the aircraft have come from Australia,” said the Minister of Defence (Sir Archdale Parkhill). “Delays in dealing with the air mail scheme have not been entirely due to the Commonwealth, and the dates and times that will be given to Parliament will make this perfectly clear. Repeated requests have been, made to the British Government for details of the bases for flying boats, but although a special survey was made 12 months ago no report is yet available. Imperial Airways are awaiting the Commonwealth’s invitation to send out a flying boat to survey the AngloAustralian route. This will be done, and also a survey of the New Zealand run, as soon as the Commonwealth indicates that it is desired, Britain can now do nothing more, and it is understood that, unless agreement is reached shortly, there will be a definite ultimatum. A preliminary survey of the route was made by Major Brackley, for the British Government last year. He found it eminently satisfactory. The need now is to undertake a more exhaustive survey with one of the boats to be used on the service.