OVERSEAS AIRMAILS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 200, 22 August 1944, Page 5

OVERSEAS AIRMAILS

AN IMPROVED SERVICE \ REDUCED CHARGE FOR CTVHJAN AIRGRAPHS (Special.) Wellington, Aug. 21. As from Thursday next special lightweight air letter-cards may be used for communicating with civilians (including business firms) in the United Kingdom and many British countries overseas, stated the PostrriSfcter-General, Mr. Webb, today. In addition, there will in future be no restriction whatever on the use of these cards for communicating with the New Zealand armed forces serving abroad In making this announcement, Mr. Webb stated that during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to England he had discussed the matter of an improved air-mail communication to and from New Zealand with the British authorities, who share the Dominion representatives’ serious concern at the unavoidable wartime limitation of air-mail facilities for civilian correspondence between British terrftries. Hitherto, however. It had not been possible to effect anv Improvement, because of the difficulty in providing sufficient aircraft space for the mall, there being an over-riding need for aircraft for other purposes more closely connected with the war effort. The introduction of a civilian lightweight air letter-card service was the first Important step towards the improvement of overseas air-mail services which the British Commonwealth wished to bring about. The Postmaster-General added that the civilian air letter-card service wai available for communicating with the United Kingdom and with British countries in Asia and Africa including the Mediterranean area. In addition, it was available for communicating with civilians in Egypt and Iraq. It could not, however, be used for civilian communications addressed to foreign countries or to British countries in North and South America, although the matter of improving the service to those continents was being explored. The new air letter-card service would, of course, operate from Great Britain to New Zealand also, and to other British countries en route. The air letter-card to be used for the service about to be introduced will be the same as that available for communications addressed to the forces, and now sold at all New Zealand post office at a cost of id each. The postage rate on each civilian card will be Bd, but the postage rate on cards addressed to the forces will remain at 6d. No enclosure will be permitted in either civilian or forces cards, and the cards cannot be registered Tlie Postmaster-General explained that, hitherto, the forces card had been available primarily for communications from next-of-kin. From now on. however, it could be used without restriction for communicating with members of the forces abroad. In the meantime, he particularlv asked users, whether communicating with members of the forces or with civilians, not to purchase more cards than were necessarv for their Immediate requirements. Tliis request was made because present stocks of the cards were not large, although it was honed to have ample supplies available In the near future. Mr. Webb also announced that ih» airgraph servich would he continued, but that from August 24 the charge for airgraphs nddnessed to civilians (including- business houses) ws being reduced to sd. the r»me a« the nreent charge for airgraphs addressed to the forces