HC Deb 18 December 1933 vol 284 cc902-3
23. Mr. HALL-CAINE

asked the Postmaster-General how the amount of air mail despatched by the British-India air-mail service during the first three dispatches in December compares with the amount sent in three similar dispatches last year?

The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Sir Kingsley Wood)

The total weight of letter mail despatched by the first three Indian air-mail dispatches in December this year was 6,490 lbs. as compared with 6,141 lbs. for the corresponding three dispatches last year. As, however, last year's figure includes a special bulk posting by Imperial Airways which weighed 800 lbs., a true comparison is between 6,490 lbs. and 5,341 lbs.

Captain BALFOUR

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what proportion of this air mail carried bears with the total first-class mail carried by other means?

Sir K. WOOD

I will try to find out and let my hon. and gallant Friend know.

26. Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLE

asked the Postmaster-General if he now is in a position to estimate the results obtained by the recent air-mail advertising campaign?

Sir K. WOOD

There was an increase of 34 per cent. in the amount of letter sir mail despatched during the period from the beginning of June this year, when the newspaper publicity campaign commenced, until the end of October, as compared with the corresponding period of 1932: It cannot be stated how much of this increase was due to normal growth and how much to publicity; but the increase during the period June to October, 1932, as compared with the corresponding period in 1931, was 18 per cent.

Mr. SOMERVILLE

Is it proposed to continue this campaign, in view of the fact that advertising has a cumulative effect?

Sir K. WOOD

Yes, Sir.