LETTER MAILS TO BRITAIN

Southland Times, Issue 24153, 15 June 1940, Page 6

LETTER MAILS TO BRITAIN

USE OF SEA ROUTES SECTION OF AIR SERVICE SUSPENDED (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 14. Commenting in an interview today on the position following the suspension of the Egypt-England section of the Empire air mail service the PostmasterGeneral (the Hon. P. C. Webb) said it would be necessary to rely mainly on sea routes for the dispatch of all letter mails to Great Britain. Some members of the public were apparently of the opinion that letters for Great Britain prepaid at the air mail rate of 1/6 a half-ounce would be flown from New Zealand to Egypt and thence sent on to England by but this service could not be offered at present due to the extension of hostilities to the Mediterranean and in all probability the sea mails for England from Egypt would be sent via Cape of Good Hope. TWO ALTERNATIVES There were only two alternatives to the forwarding of English letter mail by sea and these, involving high air charges, were not very satisfactory. The first alternative was dispatch from New Zealand to Honolulu by sea and thence by air to and across the United States of America and the Atlantic to Lisbon (4/- a half-ounce). The second was by air from New Zealand to Hong Kong, via Australia, and from Hong Kong across the Pacific, the United States of America and the Atlantic to Lisbon (8/- a half-ounce). Under the existing conditions it was difficult to estitmate the transit times, especially as it was not definitely known whether an air connection was operating between Lisbon and England, but the time from New Zealand to England on the routes mentioned should be under three weeks.

Another alternative which might suit on occasions was from New Zealand to Honolulu by sea, Honolulu to New York by air and New York to Great Britain by sea. The charge for dispatch by this route was 1/9 a halfounce. Under the existing conditions the transit time might be a little in excess of three weeks. If the PanAmerican trans-Pacific service to New Zealand began operation, Mr Webb added, there would, of course, be little if any advantage in using any of the alternative air services mentioned. The Minister said his attention had been drawn to a statement emanating from Australia that it was proposed to replace the suspended flying-boat service from Egypt to England by a land aeroplane service. It was true, Mr Webb said, that there was such a proposal, but. the public should await definite advice before resuming postings at the 1/6 rate to England. The idea was to institute a land aeroplane service over a circuitous route through Africa, but under the present conditions some time might elapse before the necessary arrangements were made. The public would rely on the Post Office to issue timely notification of any possibility of resuming the Empire air connection all the way to Great Britain.