AIR MAILS FROM BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21416, 7 March 1935, Page 4

AIR MAILS FROM BRITAIN

eight or nine days IN TRANSIT MINISTER'S FORECAST KARIA TASMAN SERVICE .SUGGESTED [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, March 6. A Ministerial statement made in the House of Representatives this afternoon by the Hon. Adam Hamilton (Postmaster-General) contained further details of the proposed air mail service which, by 1937, will link Britain with New Zealand within eight or nine days from the dispatch of letters bearing the ordinary rate' of postage. The Minister also made the suggestion that it is possible that, before 1937, Australia and New Zealand will be in a position to operate an air mail service across the Tasman. In his statement the Minister favours the use of flying-boats for the Tasman service and states that these craft, besides being able to carry tons of mail, can also accommodate passengers.

"Members are aware," said the Post-, master-General, "of my visit to Australia, the purpose of which was to discuss with British and Australian representatives proposals submitted by the British authorities for an Empire air mail service to commence in 1937. The scheme originated in Britain, and the New Zealand Government has been in communication with the British Government on the subject since 11)32, since when much correspondence: passed between us and some progress was made. Tine extreme importance of the matter was appreciated by Britain which arranged for four delegates holding high positions to proceed by air to Australia to discuss in detail the various points involved in the scheme. Two of the delegates represented the British Post Office, while the other two represented the Air Ministry.

Delegates to Conference

"The conference met in Sydney, when the Director-General of the Post and Telegraph Department 'Mr G. McNumaral and myself attended on . behalf of New Zealand. The Hon. Archdale ParkhiU, Minister for Civil Aviation and Defence, was chairman of the conference, and there was associated with him Senator the Hon. A. J. McLachlan. Postmaster-General for Australia, and the heads of their various departments. It was of great advantage to have the British delegates in attendance, more especially as they had just flown over the proposed route and had discussed this scheme with representatives (especially Indiai on their way from London to Australia. All admitted that the agreement's reached on various major points fully justified the convening of the conference. It. can now be confidently said that there is every prospect of the scheme coming into operation in 1937. Existing Arrangements "At present our tirst-class mails, which comprise sealed letters, are transported to Britain via Vancouver or San Francisco, thence across America and the Atlantic. Secondclass mail usually goes forward via Panama. The time occupied by the former route is in the vicinity of 28 days to London and by the latter about 34 days. This service at present costs us about £56,000 per annum, whilst, our mail to Australia costs us about .£9OOO per annum. At present NewZealand enjoys penny postage within the Empire. Commencing last December a twice weekly air mail service was inaugurated between London and Sydney, via India. The utilisation of this service is, however, entirely optional on the part of senders of letters. At present the extra charge in New Zealand for letters, by this route is Is (3d per half oz. Little use, however, is made of this service as only a few pounds of mail are sent each week to London by air.

"From Sydney to New Zealand the connexion still remains by steamer. At present it is optional for senders of letters to pay the extra charge for transport by air mail or to forward their letters by the ordinary mail routes. The proposal to which Britain is now asking the Dominions to agree is that it will be compulsory to forward all first-class mail matter within

the Empire by air, and the option which now exists of sending by steamer will terminate. The present ordinary postage rate in Great Britain is lid per oz. "If the scheme is agreed to, Britain proposes to make no charge for carriage of mail by air instead of by steamer other than to reduce from loz to Aoz the weight that may be carried under their present l£d. A reduction in weight will make practically no difference in the case of ordinary correspondence. Neither the Australian nor New Zealand Government lias yet decided the question as to the charges to be imposed on outgoing mails from their respective countries, but I have no doubt that New Zealand's charges will not exceed those of Great Britain, viz., l£d per ioz. New Zealand and the Air Service "On behalf of the Government of New Zealand I intimated to the conference that New Zealand would agree to the main principles embodied in the scheme, but until Australia is in a position to give her decision ("after having ascertained how the scheme will affect Australia) this Dominion is not in a position geographically to benefit by it. However, the advantages of this scheme in more effectively and closely linking up the peoples of the Empire are so tremendous that New Zealand, the most distant part of the Imperial Commonwealth, should co-operate to the utmost. "Nothing in modern limes has promised so much in the way of linking up within the shortest possible space of time all the important parts of the Empire with the exception of Canada. Here is the ideal All-Red route, to be traversed day and night by fast aeroplanes having its service stations and direction-finding apparatus located at suitable points throughout its length. It is almost impossible to visualise the possibilities of this magnificent scheme which so greatly reduces the former handicap of distance in our scattered Empire. London to New Zealand in Eight Days "If the "scheme comes into operation in 1937, and it is now almost certain that it will, it is proposed to land London mail in Sydney in seven and a half days. If this mail can then be brought to New Zealand by air, London mail should arrive in New Zealand within eight or nine days of its dispatch. At present Canada is not included in the Empire scheme, as the crossing of the Atlantic by air still constitutes a difficulty. When it becomes compulsory to send Empire mail, other than that for Canada, by air mail, New Zealand will have twice weekly an outgoing mail of about one ton weight, while the incoming mail will be about one and a half tons twice weekly. Both the British delegation and the Australian authorities were favourable to the extension of the service from Sydney to New Zealand by air. This now appears to be within the region of practicability. "Before my departure from Sydney the British delegation kindly arranged by cable for the technical examination of the problem of crossing the Tasman, and will submit full details and probable cost of a service which, would enable us to connect at Sydney with the existing air mail service between London and Australia. The Controller of Civil Aviation in Australia is also proceeding abroad almost immediately to investigate the most modern types of flying machines. He will also report on the most suitable machines for the Tasman service. Seeing that the crossing of the Tasman involves the longest hop over water on the London-Australia-New Zealand air route it will be appreciated that the fullest data should be secured on this point

before entering into any definite arrangements for the establishment of a Tasman service. Use of Flying Boats "The British authorities seem to favour the use of flying boats rather than land machines for the wliole of the service. Certainly for the crossing of the Tasman flying-boats would appear to inspire more confidence than land machines. These huge flying boats are capable of carrying several tons of mail and, in addition, sleeping accommodation can be provided for a limited number of passengers. It is not, however, proposed at this stage to discuss the establishment of a pas- ! senger service across the Tasman. The proposed route from London to Sydney is by way of Egypt, India, Singapore, and Darwin, and arrangements will be made for continuous flying by night and day. "The reason for delaying the establishing of the scheme until 1937 is on account of the time required for the manufacture of suitable machines, and for the necessary ground organisation to be perfected. If the Dominions concerned all agree to the proposals, preparations for the scheme will be put under way immediately. It is confidently anticipated that business men and others who forward their mails by air will heartily approve of the new scheme, seeing that the postage charge is to be at such a low rate. I personally hope that before 1937 Australia and New Zealand will be in a position to establish an air mail service across the Tasman. New Zealand's Co-operation "Prior to the commencement in December last of the present voluntary air mail sex-vice, New Zealand agreed to become a foundation member of the scheme, and at present contributes £SOOO per annum towards the service. Mails are now being carried by air very extensively in Britain and the Continent, and flying has reached the stage when it can be considered to be a safe and reliable service. "In conclusion I would like to pay a tribute to the courtesy and assistance we received from the Australian authorities during our visit to the con- j ference. Every facility was afforded :

us to obtain information we desired, and assistance was' given on eve. point of interest to us. TASMAN SERVICE IN 1937 PROPHECY OF Slit KEITH SMITH SYDNEY, March 6. Sir Keith Smith, in an address, made the prophecy that the ope tion of a regular trans-Tasrnan mail would not be practicable 1937. He said: "I do not think we && start a service to-day or to " m ° en . I which will be punctual. A . days a week organisation, si. to the big shipping servicesrequired. High speed capable of 200 miles an i 1 0" m a range of at least 1600 rm » have to bo built and wea 11pc ted will have to be specially cone over at least two years. . , "By 1937, hou-ever, it should possible to breakfast in _ ;lt 8 a.m. and dine m 6 p.m., and have a saft an« jn fortable trip across the Ta:s between." . b y [Sir Keith Smith. accompli his brother, the late Sir Ro ';. lan d to made the first flight g e r, l 91 '* Australia in Noyember-Decem u=tr3 . He represents Vickers. Ltd.,