Air Mails

Southland Times, Issue 22813, 12 February 1936, Page 6

Air Mails

According to a report printed to-day an influential Dunedin deputation has joined in the effort to persuade the PostmasterGeneral, Mr Jones, that the air services now operating regularly in New Zealand should be used for the carriage of all first-class mails. The Minister promised an early pronouncement by the Government, and it will be disappointing if he cannot concede all, and more than, the deputation asked. Since incoming overseas air mails are invariably landed at northern ports the .South Island has a special claim for their rapid delivery by air. Under present arrangements the time taken to deliver these mails in the south is often disproportionately long, considering the speed at which they come from England; and the delays are irksome to business people. But beyond all this there is a clear case for the establishment of fast and regular air mails as soon as the services are available to carry them. There are -difficulties, as Mi’ Jones has said; but no innovation is made without difficulties, and he is fortunate in having a thoroughly efficient and well-organized department to overcome them. It may be impossible to avoid levying a surcharge to meet the initial cost of an internal air mail service, but the Minister’s aim should be to abolish the surcharge, as it is being abolished everywhere in favour of a general penny air rate.