FASTER TRANSIT OF MAILS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22509, 17 September 1938, Page 11

FASTER TRANSIT OF MAILS

FIGURES FOR EMPIRE AIR SERVICE

FIFTEEN DAYS FROM DOMINION *TO GREAT BRITAIN

Mails between New Zealand and Great Britain under the old. conditions of surface transit were delivered in an average time of 30 days, the shortest being 25 days. The inauguration of the Empire air mail service has enabled big improvements to be made, the benefit of the use of the air being demonstrated in the first month by a reduction in the time of transit to an average of 15 days. The longest transit time was 18 days, and the shortest 13 days. ' - These figures are based on the experience of 12 .mails between August 4 and August 24, the number of dispatches in so short a period being also a distinct improvement in overseas mail communication. English mails by air (with a steamer crossing of the Tasman) have been reaching the Dominion in an average time of 16 days. One mail took only 12 days, because of an excellent steamer connexion from Australia, but the general average was increased because cargo steamers had to be used on several occasions. This handicap will be reduced with the introduction of improved passenger services during the summer.

To give New Zealand residents a good opportunity of becoming accustomed to the change in postal rates with the adoption of air transit for all first-class matter to Empire countries, the New Zealand Post Office waived all penalties for insufficiently prepaid correspondence for a period during the early stages of the new system. Surcharging at the rate of double the deficiency is now in operation, however, and checks taken within the last few days show that some educative work remains to be done. A check of correspondence handled in the Auckland Chief Post Office on a recent day showed that 25 per cent, of the letters were under-paid, either in the case of the l£d charge for Empire countries or the 2Jd rate to the United States and other foreign destinations. A similar check in Wellington 'showed somewhat better results, the proportion of under-paid letters in a total "of 1500 being 11 per cent.