DATE STAMPS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 122, 5 March 1936, Page 7

DATE STAMPS

NEW TYPE FOR POST OFFICE. LIGHT RUBBER CANCELLATION. . 'I A problem connected with the cancel- ! latiou of postage stamps on parcels and packets has been solved alter long experiment uy tiie ivew Zealand Jrostai Urticials, who Jiave adopted an entirely j new type of steel stamp operating onj the loner principle. Two points oi objection were found, to the old type, of nammer stamp. High value stamps I are most iiu.ucntly used on parcels; therefore, a light cancellation is appreciated by stamp collectors, who find a sympathetic official reception lor their representations in this respect. 11l percussion effect in using a datestamp of tlu ordinary pattern rendered the contents of parcels and packets liable to damage, while the rubber type completely defaced the attractive designs of the stamps. Therefore, postal officials resolved, if possible, to abandon that piirciple. The result is a new steel type carrying on a small roller i bout one inch in diameter. The changed shape involved a further problem of effective inking, and this was solved by designing a highly compressed felt par roller which is brought into contact with the printing surface wh'ii the stamp is gently pressed down in the operation of cancellation. Thus, the new slump will give the advantage of avoiding unduly heavy cancellation marks, ami the blow of the old hammer type." It also saves time by being automatically inked in the course of operation. Two types of these new roller stamps tre used, one bearing the name of the u'ticc for cancellation of newspapers, and the second and larger tvpe irciucling in its marking the date of cancellation. This daily change involved th- making of tiny types carrying the figures for the day, and the change involved in the monthly alteration. A cleverly designed locking svstem enables the small changeable types to be firmly held in the roller whe:. Hi i>cr i