HEALTH STAMP CAMPAIGN

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25304, 2 October 1947, Page 3

HEALTH STAMP CAMPAIGN

GOOD SALES YESTERDAY

Although the cold weather and rain kept many persons in their homes yesterday, philatelists and persons anxious to see a good start to the health stamp campaign came to Christchurch or went to suburban post offices, and there was a particularly good sale of the stamps. Many first-day covers, both those issued by the Post Office and others printed by commercial firms, were posted in all.offices. The Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews) bought the first stamps yesterday from a stall in the vestibule of the Chief Post Office. He bought two sheets for £1 16s, and was followed by a queue of persons who kept the voluntary women helpers, members of the Travel Club, busy all day. There were big sales at other stalls in the building, and the staff at the stamp counters had little spare time.

Between 24,000 and 25,000 letters were posted at the special post office at the Glenelg health camp, where, in the afternoon, Mr Andrews officially opened the campaign. There was a good attendance at the camp, and about £52 worth of stamps was sold. All postmen on their rounds yesterday carried envelopes, each of which contained two sets of stamps, and they made many sales at houses on their rounds. For the next two weeks postmen will continue to give active support by selling stamps.- They also carried stamps to the value. of £699, -for which they had taken advance orders last month.

Advance orders totalledv £3029, and with the sales yesterday, the result of which will not be known until to-day, it -is thought that the district will be well on the way to reaching its quota of £10,570. The campaign will last until the end of February.

INCREASED SALES AT WELLINGTON

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 1. The sales of health stamps in the Wellington district up to noon to-day, the first day pf the campaign, were more than double the sales for the whole of the first day last year. Sales this morning were £4551 17s 6d, compared with £2lBO for the whole of the first day last year.

RECORD SALES AT DUNEDIN

(P.A.) DUNEDIN, October 1. Dunedin, which held the New Zealand record for first-day sales of health stamps in 1945 and 1946, greatly exceded its previous figures to-day when more than £7300 worth of the 1947 issue was sold compared with £3243 in 1945 and £4946 in 1946. Record sales are also reported from country districts. _______