AERIAL MAILS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 March 1920, Page 5

AERIAL MAILS.

140 RE EXPERIMENTAL PLIGHTS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Feb. 28. A successful tr' ' of conveying mails by seaplane, made in December last between Auckland and Dargaville, has encouraged the Postmaster-General to Biake a fairly substantial experiment with seaplanes, and next week mall matter will be carried bv machines from Auckland City to Thames, Whangarei and Dargaville. Mr. Coates informed a Post reporter to-day that an agreement had been entered into with the New Zealand Flying School at Auckland for experimental flights for the carriage of mails extending over a period of a month or two months. There would probably "be two trips a week eery third week over each of the routes named. In these experimental tripe the contractors take all risks of loss or aeeident. The department, as the weather is the ruling factor, will not be able to give more than a day's notice of a projected departure. No additional rate is to be charged during the trial services for letters, but when regular trips are inaugurated it is proposed to impose special rates as letters would really be telegram-letters without limitation of words. He thought they would be very popular. Mr. Coates hopes that when more powerful machines are available and the benzine shortage is not so acute trial tripa Will be made over other routes.