EMPIRE AIR MAILS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23202, 28 May 1937, Page 9

EMPIRE AIR MAILS

DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES

REMARKABLY CHEAP RATES (British Official Wireless* (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, May 26. (Received May 27, at 5.5 p.m.) A 15-years scheme of Empire air mails is outlined in a White Paper, which reveals that under the projected agreement between the Government and Imperial Airways subsidies payable on a decreasing scale will aggregate £9,000,000, but they will be subjected to various adjustments. Provision is made for nine services a week to and from Egypt, five to and from India, three each to and from East Africa and the Straits Settlements, and two each to and from South Africa and Australia. The scheme is confidently expected to ensure due maintenance of British prestige in world air transport. It will also represent a striking development in the form of the long distance carriage of first-class mails by air at a flat postage charge of three halfpence a half-ounce for letters and a penny for postcards, which for cheapness has never been approached anywhere in the world. Both flying boat and land-plane services will operate from England and the aircraft will .have a maximum speed of about 200 m.p.h. and a commercial pay load of roughly three and a-quarter tons. It is stipulated that they shall be replaced after not more than seven years by improved craft and Imperial Airways will be required to undertake to carry all first-class mail between the participating countries, which in a provisional list number 28. The Government will provide free aerodromes and landing areas in British territory in Egypt, Sudan and Iraq.

AUSTRALIA TO LONDON CANBERRA, May 27. ■ (Received May 27, at 8 p.m.) An air mail service between Australia and London will be commenced in January, 1938. It will provide for an initial schedule of 10 days, with a progressive reduction to seven days. The postage rate will be reduced from Is 6d to 5d per Joz. The Commonwealth subsidy will be a maximum of £50,000 a year. New Empire flying boats will be used on trial for two years on the Australian section of the route from Sydney to Singapore. The Acting Prime Minister (Dr Earle Page) announced that an agreement had been finally reached between the Government of the United Kingdom and Australia.