NEW STAMPS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19862, 25 February 1930, Page 4

NEW STAMPS.

PROFITABLE BUSINESS FOR GOVERNMENTS. (FROM OUK OWN COBRXSPONDENT.) SYDNEY, February 13. Australia is rapidly encroaching on the financial preserves of a pumber of the small nations of the world by the issue of commemorative postage stamps of attractive design. It has been pointed out that the issue of pretty stamps is a highly profitable revenue maker for many of the South American Republics. Whenever they are short of cash they design a new stamp—a stamp that gladdens the hearts of collectors in all parts of tho world. For their postal revenue they do not have to depend on the letter-writing habits of their nationals. If they did they might soon go bankrupt. In three years the Commonwealth has issued four new stamps, and within a few weeks will unload upon the philatelic world still another commemorativo stamp—one to commemorate the voyage along the Murray river of the famous explorer, Sturt, who did so much to reveal the wealth of Australia. The design will feature the explorer, whose centenary is being celebrated this year, and will be issued in l£d red and 3d blue. Commemorative stamps issued by the Commonwealth lately are as follows:

April, 1927—Canberra ljd to mark the opening of the new Parliament House.

October, 1928—Blue 3d Kookaburra stamp to celebrate the opening of the Melbourne Stamp Congress. June, 1929—Green 3d Air Mail stamp to mark the opening of the east-west aero mail service. September, 1929 —Swan ljd red on the occasion of the Western Australian centenary celebrations. And now comes the Sturt stamp. And so it is that the European and South American Eepublics are finding the Commonwealth a lusty rival for the pennies of small boys throughout the* world, and for the pounds of the larger collectors who make the issue of new stamps their particular business. The issue of the Canberra stamp has long been sold out, but the stamps may be purchased from collectors at double their face value. One British dealer bought £SOOO worth of the Canberra ljd issue. The Postmaster-General, doubtless, would welcome more enquiries from the same collecter in view of the Sturt issue.