Nuclear protest on Cook Islands issue

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33425, 5 January 1974, Page 9

Nuclear protest on Cook Islands issue

( By

KENNETH ANTHONY)

This stamp is one of the very attractive and colourful floral designs which have been current in the Cook Islands for ordinary, everyday postage since 1967. But it will tie seen that the stamp illustrated is boldly overprinted with the legend: •‘TENTH ANNIVERSARY, CESSATION OF NUCLEAR TESTING TREATY.” While the agreement of the major powers to ban the testing of nuclear devices in the atmosphere was undoubtedly a valuable advance in international co-operation, it might seem surprising that a mere tenth anniversary of such a treaty should become the occasion for a special stamp issue. Indeed the overprinted

stamps would probably never have appeared at all, had it not been for the fact that at the time they came out a new series of nuclear tests was being arranged by the French authorities in the Pacific. All the Pacific nations QXfil&sud to France

against the possible dangers to the local population. But the protests were brushed aside and the French tests went ahead as planned, with a New Zealand warship patrolling on the edge of the test area.

The Cook Islands, as one of the countries most closely affected, turned to stamps for their propaganda weapon. If they had waited for new designs to be prepared and printed, the effect would have been lost in the delay. So, realising that the French tests ironically coincided with the tenth anniversary of the treaty, the Cook Islands promptly applied a suitable overprint to six of the most commonly, used values of the regular issue — ranging from the 5c value up to the 30c, The overprinted stamps were issued in July, 1973, and were still being used on the mails in the following October. With such widespread use, the meaning was not lost on everyone in the Pacific area who saw them — the message being no less effective for being indirect. So here is yet another stamp which, on its superficial appearance, seems to be only of passing interest, yet has considerable political significance in the circumstances in which it appeared.