HASTY DESPATCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23221, 19 June 1937, Page 14

HASTY DESPATCH

AIR MAIL FOR LONDON TRANSFERRED TO DUNEDIN VESSEL DETAINED AT AUCKLAND (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 18. Few instances of the uncertainty of the trans-Tasman shipping services have been as pointed as the circumstances which forced the Auckland postal authorities to close the air mails for London to-day at a few hours' notice and to despatch hastily correspondence for the Sydney-Singapore-England route to-night to catch a cargo steamer leaving Dunedin at 2 o'clock to-morrow afternoon Repealed cases of inconvenience to trade and persons through irregular sailings for Australia were epitomised in the difficulty confronting the Post Office staff. The mail notices since Tuesday have advised that the mails for Australian States, Norfolk Island. China, Japan, Straits Settlements, and South Africa, and air mail due at London on July 7 would be closed tomorrow at 10 o'clock and sail by the Kairanga. Thursday's heavy rain, however, hampered the loading operations of the Kairanga at Auckland, and the Union Company advised to-day that the steamer would not sail until Monday. In an endeavour to connect with the aeroplane leaving Sydney for London on Friday, the Post Office authorities decided to close the air mail at Auckland at 5 o'clock this afternoon and to catch the Union Company’s cargo steamer Kaikorai at Dunedin. Banking and commercial houses were advised of the advance in the closing time, but it is probable that a considerable amount, of mail, which would otherwise have been posted to-morrow morning, has been left. In view of the fact that there will not be sufficient time at Dunedin to sort the additional letters, it was impossible to allow the late-fee postage, , ~ On the first stage of the journey, which showed remarkable initiative by the Post Office staff, the Kairanga’s air mail left Auckland this evening by the limited express for Palmerston North, where it will be transhipped into the regular Union Airways aeroplane for Dunedin. The machine will arrive at Dunedin at 1.30 o’clock to-morrow afternoon, half an hour before the departure for Sydney of the Kaikorai. In spite of the effort of the Post Office, there still remains doubt whether the Kaikorai. will arrive at Sydney in time to connect with the aeroplane leaving at 7.25 o’clock on Friday night. In this case, the mails will remain at Sydney until the following Tuesday, and will travel with the air mails carried by the Wanganella, which will leave Auckland on Thursday. The Wanganella’s mails are due at London on July 11, four days later than those leaving Sydney on Tuesday. The Kairanga will take mail for the Australian States on Monday, but the mail for other parts of the world will now not be despatched until Thursday.