DECIMAL STAMPS

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31052, 6 May 1966, Page 4

DECIMAL STAMPS

Question Of Confusion

The Christchurch Chief Postmaster (Mr M. E. Wilson) had advised that the Post Office considered it would be less confusing to the public to re-issue current stamps in decimal currency than to simultaneously release new designs and new currency. This was said by the chairman of the postal committee of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce (Mr J. Stewart) at the chamber’s monthly meeting on Wednesday evening.

Mr Wilson, he said, had informed the committee that the problem of converting stamps to the new currency would exist only so long as stocks of the old stamps were held.

T<| cater for philatelists, special stamps had been released, from time to time, during the life of the present series. In 1965, 12 such issues had been made and this policy would continue. Mr Stewart said the postal committee had recommended that as soon as possible after conversion date, the Post Office should consider printing a new series in view of their overseas earning power. A stamp-dealer member of the chamber, said Mr Stewart, had shown the committee a pamphlet it had prepared, opposing the Post Office decision to re-issue the present pictorial set of stamps in decimal currency. The firm sought the support of the chamber on this subject. It was claimed by the firm that the continuance of the present design could cause confusion as many of the stamps would have no exact equivalent in decimal currency. Also, sales of New Zealand stamps to overseas collectors, a source of export revenue, would be adversely affected.