DEALING IN STAMPS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23130, 20 September 1940, Page 10

DEALING IN STAMPS

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS PROHIBITED

PHILATELISTS CONCERNED New Zealand philatelists who for many years ’ have been in the habit of exchanging stamps with collectors abroad have found within the last few weeks that they are no longer permitted either to send stamps out of the Dominion or to receive them from other countries. This position applies equally to new and used stamps, and, although the reason for it is not clear, it will cause a good deal of concern to philatelists who have built up connexions abroad and have been in the habit of receiving fresh issues regularly. The case for the philatelists was placed before a reporter in Dunedin by the secretary of the Dunedin Philatelic Society, Mr A. Clark, who said he had been informed by the customs authorities that the practice of exchanging stamps had been stopped because it was barter. He said that any exporting of stamps done by a collector was purely in the pursuit of his hobby, and the average philatelist had no thought of evading the currency regulations. Many collectors had been exchanging stamps with others overseas for many years, and the result of their industry and perseverance was shown in the possession of a fine collection of stamps .in New Zealand.

• “It may be claimed that this is a species of barter,” Mr Clark said, “but I should say that the revenue has profited rather than suffered by it, because in a great many cases no postal service of any kind is ever asked of stamps which are bought in New Zealand post offices and eventually find their way into the albums of overseas collectors. Another fact which should be taken into consideration is that there are a large number of philatelists in New Zealand who, by their purchases of stamps, must add substantially to the postal revenue of the Dominion. Some base their ex* changes on values given in certain catalogues, but others ignore values and are content to send away 100 stamps and receive 100 stamps in ex* change.” There appeared to be some method in other countries of exempting genuine stamp collectors from restrictions of the type that had been imposed here, Mr Clark added, and it would appear feasible that some way might be found in New Zealand of exempting philatelists from the operation of the regulations covering regular exports and imports. Some extremely interesting issues of stamps would probably be made in various countries during the war, and unless some means of allowing these to be brought into the country could be devised collectors would not be able to secure copies. ■