STAMP COLLECTING
Anniversary Issue From Tonga
The long-expected set marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the accession of Queen Salote Tubou to the throne has at last made its appearance from Tonga. This Little-known Polynesian kingdom at present a British protectorate, has distinguished itself in the world of philately, first, because of the exasperatingly largo number of overprints and surcharges: and secondly, because of the amazing absence of commemorative issues.
It has been explained by the wellknown authority, Mr. R. Porter, that though the first postal issues of Tonga appeared as early as 1886, this new set is only the second commemorative series, the first taking the form of an overprint on the occasion of the marriage of the present Queen’s father. King George Tubou 11. The three values of the new set are all of the same design and give a full-length portrait of the Queen in her royal robes with the. throne in the background. Queen Salote Tubou —Ko Ene Alio Koe Kuini to her own people—-is a very picturesque person and this set of stamps will bring her more to the notice of people throughout the world.
This would be the last reason for the issue since the Queen is extremely modest and of a retiring nature. She sometimes carries this to the greatest extremes. Her husband is Prince Ciliann Tungi. also a Polynesian, and lie is 20 years her senior. They were married in September. 1017. and she has three sons. Her income as Queen is approximately £2OOO a year.
Her palace in Nukualofa is a whiteframe double-story building with . a tower, and though one cannot be ini. pressed with its outside appearance, the throne room presents a remarkable spectacle. Each July she opens the native Parliament with an inaugural speech and this is the only occasion on which she may be seen wearing her Rpyaßrobes. Her dress is of ermine trimmed _with red velvet and the train of it is carried by plumed pages in scarlet'iackets.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19390128.2.144
Bibliographic details
Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 106, 28 January 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)
Word Count
330STAMP COLLECTING Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 106, 28 January 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)
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