AIR MAILS AND CABLES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 109, 9 May 1936, Page 7

AIR MAILS AND CABLES

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER : HON. MR. JONES’ REPLY. ( Per Press Association. ) WELLINGTON, May 8. i An improvement of the inland air ! mail time-table, the provision of a di- ! rect cable between Wellington and Aus- | tralia, and the establishment at Wellington of a calling place for the proposed Tasman air service were the subject of representations by a deputation from the Wellington Chamber of Commerce to the Postmaster-General (the | Hon. F. Jones) to-day. The Minister, in reply, expressed the hope that the patronage of the re-cently-inaugurated air mail services operating in the Dominion would justify a policy of steady expansion, al though he admitted that he had been disappointed with the results so far. It was not possible to abolish the penny surcharge at the present time and send nail first-class mails by air without an extra, charge, because there were not .sufficient aircraft to handle the enormous quantities of letters. The cable link would involve ar. unjustified expense to the company ennconcerned of £500,000, but the department was seeking to improve radio communication between the south and Auckland in the event of a dislocation through earthquake or storm disaster. As to the creation of a trans-Tasman air service with the terminal at. Wellington, the Minister said that the question would receive consideration when the proposal was in more concrete form.