VICTORY STAMPS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 271, 11 August 1943, Page 4

VICTORY STAMPS

Issue In New Zealand After The War Consideration is being given to the question of issuing a series of “Victory” or “Peace” stamps in New Zealand after the war, states tbe Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, in a letter to Mr. Doidge, M.P. for Tauranga. The Prime Minister was replying to a recent suggestion by Mr. Doidge that New Zealand should issue a series of war stamps. Mr. Doidge had said the idea had been submitted to him by ardent stamp collectors, and he felt it was one that should commend itself to the Government, not only for publicity purposes, but as. a means of raising revenue. He had mentioned the possibilities of America as a marliet there being 4,000,000 collectors in that country, among them President Roosevelt. The I’rime Minister replied that the proposal was considered by the Post and Telegraph Department some time ago, but it was decided not. to proceed with the matter, the main reasons being the difficulty of obtaining suitable designs, the shortage of stamp paper, and the time that necessarily would elapse before the stamps could be placed on sale. The New Zealand Government printing office was not yet equipped for the production of high-class stamps, and it was felt that the present difficulties would result in the war stamps of the Dominion lagging a long way behind those of other countries, and possibly being received too late for effective issue. , , , In the circumstances, concluded the Prime Minister, it would seem better to concentrate on a post-war issue _ with which New Zealand could be early m the field.