FLYING BOAT MAIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23118, 18 February 1937, Page 13

FLYING BOAT MAIL

ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN AGREEMENT COMMONWEALTH’S POINTS (From Our Own Correspondent) SYDNEY, Feb. 1L Britain deferred to most of the objections raised by Australia against the original flying-boat air mail scheme, and an agreement has been reached, after long negotiations, on lines desired by the Commonwealth. The agreement, provisionally for 15 years, is subject to review and withdrawal by either party if dissatisfied. The British Government’s acceptance of this condition came as a complete surprise, as it was known here that British Air Ministry and Post Office officials were opposed to it, but it took nearly three months of constant negotiation to overcome the obstacle of this one condition. The Prime Minister (Mr Lyons), announcing the conclusion of the agreement, said that'the service would begin with a bi-weekly mail each way between Britain and Australia as from January 1, 1938. The Government would retain a surcharge of 3d a halfounce, with the right to drop it when the Government wished. The cost of sending a letter to England by air would, therefore, be sd. The Commonwealth would have absolute control of the Australian section, from Singapore to Sydney, which would be staffed with Australian personnel. New aircraft required by Qantas Empire Airways for that section would be built in Australia if possible, and efforts would also be made to have major repairs and overhauls carried out in Australia. Australia, said Mr Lyons, had favoured the use of land planes from Singapore, because of the great strategic importance of the internal route to Darwin. It had finally agreed to flying-boats with the proviso that if they proved unsatisfactory within two years Australia could terminate the agreement. The Commonwealth Government believed that the variations it had requested in the original British scheme had made the service more truly an Empire arrangement. This was particularly true of Australia’s insistence that it should retain control over the route from Singapore to Sydney. The Commonwealth would contribute up to £30,000 a year for ground organisation, the British Government bearing any expense over that sum. Organisation on the Australian coast would be carried out and manned by the Commonwealth, and that near Singapore and the Netherlands Indies wcjuld be arranged by Britain. The British Government would contribute a minimum mail payment of £32,000 a year, representing 16s per lb on 40,0001 b. For mails in excess of 40,0001 b payment would be made at the rate of 16s per lb, subject to a minimum of £52,000, The subsidy would rise from a minimum of £40,000 to a maximum of £50,000 a year, at a rate proportional to the growth in the mail payments. It is regarded here as almost certain that when the liying-boat scheme incorporates an extension' from Sydney to Auckland the New Zealand Government will agree to a flate rate of lid being charged for its outward mails. This, it is understood, will force the Commonwealdth Government to agree to an early reduction of the 5d rate. Rose Bay, in Sydney Harbour, will probably be selected as the terminal base. The base in Sydney will consist of machine and repair shops, passenger accommodation, and transport facilities. Where practicable, the big flying boats will draw up to a floating pontoon; elsewhere they will be served by fast motor boats. Australian aircraft technicians and mechanics will be employed. Existing Qantas captains will be sent either to England or Singapore to learn the handling of the flying boats. All the Qantas captains will command the new flying boats, subject to their passing the necessary tests. It is not anticipated that any of them will have any difficulty, as they compare favourably with any pilots in the world. Their record on the present service from Singapore has been faultless. Before the operation of the new service begins, Qantas Empire Airways will transfer their head office from Brisbane to Sydney. The managing director of the company (Mr Hudson Fysh) said that the agreement between Britain and Australia meant that operating companies must now go ahead with their plans. “ Our information is naturally very limited at present,” said Mr Fysh, who will discuss details with the Civil Aviation Board. ‘‘But to begin with, the service on January 1 leaves only 10 months, and we have an immense job to tackle.”