EMPIRE AIR MAIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23110, 9 February 1937, Page 9

EMPIRE AIR MAIL

SINGAPORE-SYDNEY SECTION DETAILS OF AGREEMENT SYDNEY, Feb. 8. (Received Feb. 9, at 0.45 a.m.) Details of the Empire Air Mail agreement were announced by the Commonwealth Government tonight. The British Government has approved of the Commonwealth retaining control of the SingaporeSydney section, while the Commonwealth has agreed to flying boats being used on this section for two years, but if these prove unsatisfactory the agreement will be reviewed thereafter. The agreement, wnich provides for a surcharge of 5d per half ounce on outgoing mail, will run for 15 years. The service is expected to operate from January 1, 1938. Australia has undertaken to pay an annual subsidy, to rise from a minimum of £40,000 to £52,000 per annum at a rate proportional to the growth of mail payments. Australia will also pay the ground organisation’s costs to £30,000. The agreement contemplates pooling the resources, equipment and personnel of Imperial Airways and associated companies along the whole route, while all major repairs will be done in England. The ground organisation along the Australian coast will be constructed and manned by the Commonwealth, and that near Singapore and the Netherlands will be undertaken by the British Government. The fares and freight rates on the Australian section will be subject to the approval of the Commonwealth. It is expected that a time table of 10$ days will be achieved between London and Sydney, but this will be expedited to seven days and a-quarter when lighting and other ground organisation services along the route have been completed, facilitating night, flying. The mail subsidy payments to the Orient Shipping Company will not be reduced on account of the transference of mails to the air service.