THE INSURANCE ACT DESCRIPTION OF STAMPS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 27, 31 July 1912, Page 2

THE INSURANCE ACT DESCRIPTION OF STAMPS.

(From Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, 12th June. The stamps required for National Health Insurance will shortly be issued. Although not "postage" stamps, they are likely to be unique productions, and particulars of them will, no doubt, bo read with interest in the Dominion. For the convenience of the public it was considered desirable to provide Btamps which shall enable employers and contributors to pay all ordinary periodical contributions by affixing to the cards a single- stamp and at the same time shall bo clearly distinguishable from ordinary postage or revenue stamps, and from tho stamps required for the unemployed insurance under part 11. of the Act. These objects have metv achieved by- the prepai'sttion of thirteen denominations of one. distinctive design and shape. The stamps are somewhat smaller than the ordinary postage stamps, and are oblong in shape, measuring (printed surface) .825 in. by .6125 in (from centre to centre of tho perforation gutter), .8875 in by .675 in, the longer side being vertical. Any confusion or interchange with the unemployment m6uranc« stamps is thus rendered impossible, since these, besides being entirely different in design, have the longer side horizontal. The' design consists of the crown surmounting a shield, on which is clearly printed th© value of the stamp. Surrounding the shield is a wreath, in which the rose, shamrock, thistle, and daffodil are combined as emblems of the four countries of the United Kingdom, since the separate National Commissions will use the same stamps for all purpoae». Abovt tho crown are the serpent and bowl of -flSsculapiue, emblematic of the National Health Insurance. The fitampß are surface printed, the six denominations which will be most in demand being in a single colour, and the others bi-coloured, the ground of the shield bearing the second colour. The denominations and colours aro — l£d, brown and green j 2d, brown and blue ; 2£d, brown and magenta; 3d, green and mauve; 3£d, claret and black; 4d, cl&ret and orange; 4Aa, pale blue, sd, orange; s£d, mauve ; 6d, deep blue ; 7d, magenta ; Is, claret and green; Is 2d, yellow. Many million stamps of the various denominations a-re being printed, and will be on aale shortly. So soon as they are available in any Post Office a notification will be made. Th« present issue .has been bo arranged that in every' cage a single stamp is available- for the payment of the joint contribution of employer and employee (whether male or female) for a week or fortnight. Only m the case of voluntary contributors paying a rate in excess of the flat rate, or of a contributor desiring to pay up arrears can a combination of stamps become necessary. It is added that the issue of high value stamps is under consideration in connection with the scheme, whereby employers will be allowed under certain conditions to deposit with the Insurance Commissionere, either quarterly in advance oi 1 by weekly instalments a sum sufficient to cover the contributions due for the quarter, th© stamping of the contribution cards by the employer being deferred until the end of the quarter. Of th© unemployed insurance stamps, designed by Mr. H. Wilson, the principal feature is a ship in full sail, which is the old emblem of the Board of Trade. Above the ship is th© crowns; the rose and the thistle are at tho two sides of the fibamp, and at the bottom is tbo .royal cipher, with, representations of the shamrock. There aro three denominations of these etamps— sd, 4d, 2d. The Sd stamp represents a lull contribution by employer and workman for a week, or any period exceeding two days but not exceeding a week. The 4d stamp represents the contribution from employer athi workman for a period of more than on© day bub' not more than two days, and tho 2d stamp the contribution for a single day or part of a day. The 2d stamp also represents the full contribution' for a, week or part of a week in the case of workmen under the age of eighteen. In all cases the contribution us divided equally between the employer and the workman.