EMPIRE AIR MAILS

Wairarapa Daily Times, 25 February 1935, Page 6

EMPIRE AIR MAILS

DEVELOPMENTS IN VIEW. SYDNEY, Sunday. Tho British Post Office and Air Ministry delegation arrived to-day. Mr Bertram (Deuuty-Director of Civil Aviation) said it Avas hoped to have a biAveekly air mail service betAveen London and Australia. The distance betAvoen London and Sydney Avould be coAmred in seven days. It Avas proposed to charge lid per half-ounce for all first-class mail matter as a flat rate.

No air mail surcharge Avould be made, nor Avould it be necessary to label letters "air mail,” for that Avould be their natural route. "We are not here to dictate,” he added. "We are here to explain details to the Australian and New Zealand authorities for their approval and to receive suggestions.”

AIR MINISTRY’S SCHEME.

LONDON, Sunday

The "Observer’s” Singapore correspondent says that in an intervieAV, Sir EdAvard Campbell, Parliamentary Private Secretary to the British Postmas-ter-General, and a member of the Air Mail delegation, said: "Discussions in India, Malaya and elseAvhere regarding faster air mails haA’e conA’ineed us of the possibility of the Air Ministry’s scheme Avorking by 1937. I do not think avc need materially change Sir Phillip Sassoon’s scheme. We are satisfied with the progress of the discussions in India, Avliere we did more in ten days than could haA r e been accomplished in a year by correspondence. We Avere most impressed by the tremendous air-mindedness permeating India and the Far East and believe that flying boats can be used in some sections.”

Sir EdAvard Campbell is joining his colleagues in Australia. He AA’ill be the only passenger when Captain Brian pilots the first Quantas plane from Singapore to Australia to-day.