FOR STAMP COLLECTORS

Evening Star, Issue 22804, 12 November 1937, Page 2

FOR STAMP COLLECTORS

[By Philatelist.]

NEW ZEALAND ISSUES. New plates have been used to print the latest supplies of the halfpenny stamps. The identification marks are TA and 18. The latest supplies of the 3d pictorial stamps have a wider selvedge and bear the mark “ 2 ” below the second stamp in the last row. King George VI. Stamps.—ln 1938 stamps of the )d and Id denominations, depicting His Majesty King George VI., will be issued to replace the Jd and Id stamps of the pictorial issue. The new stamps will be placed on sale at all post offices as stocks of the current issues become depleted. The Jd will be introduced probably towards the end of February, while the Id is not likely to bo on sale before May 1.

Official Stamps.—The 6d pictorial stamp, printed on paper bearing the multiple watermark, will be issued in December, overprinted “ Official.” In February, 1938, the kl King George VI. stamp overprinted “ Official ” will replace the current £d official stamp. GOOD KING WENCESLAS. Most people imagine that good King Wenceslas was the possessor of a flowing white beard, that he was, in fact, very similar in appearance to Santa Claus himself. Philatelists may therefore have wondered why the king is shown beardless and youthful on the stamps issued by Czechoslovakia eight years ago. Actually Wenceslas never grew a beard, but even had he done so it could hardly have been white: he did not live to reach the ago of 25. The story of his life reads almost like a chapter from Ruritanian melodrama. The eldest son of a Bohemian king, Wratislas 1., by his wife Drahomira, he was born in 908. His early years were spent in the care of his grandmother, Ludmila.

When Wenceslas was 18 his father died. Scarcely had the young king ascended the throne, however, than Drahomira seized the regency. Fearful that her ambitious plans might he frustrated by Ludmila, Drahomira sent two assassins to murder her, which they did by strangling her with a silk scarf. Wenceslas fled to Prague, where he set up a Government independently of his mother. She, however, soon became involved in a war with Henry the Fowler, King of Germany, and had the mortification of witnessing the invasion of her country. Henry marched on Prague, but was met by Wenceslas, who concluded a treaty of peace with the invader. The young king’s chief aim was to establish Christianity throughout his realm, hut ho encountered considerable opposition from a section of tho community which received the change of religion with disfavour, and wanted to maintain paganism. At the- instigation of DraJiamira, Poles las plotted against tho

King. The treachery was discovered in time, and Wenceslas had no option but to banish his mother from the country. After a while he allowed her to come back, but never forgave her completely for the murder of Ludmila. During his reign Wenceslas did much to ease the lot of the less fortunate of his subjects. He devoted much time and money to clothing and feeding the poor, besides bringing about a number of social reforms.

Pagan discontent eventually reached substantial proportions, and Boleslas saw in it an excuse for overthrowing his brother and seizing control of Bohemia. On September 27. 936, Wenceslas visited his brother’s castle at Bunzlan on the occasion of the feast of Saint Cosmas ; and Damian. _ Boleslas persuaded him to stay overnight, and Wenceslas agreed to do so, even though a warning reached him that treason was contemplated. Early the following morning, while Wenceslas was on his way to church, he was met at the door by his brother, who drew his sword and struck the king on the head. Wenceslas, who was the stronger, wrested the weapon from Boleslas, but three of the traitor’s servants who were in the plot rushed forward and stabbed Wenceslas to death. This scene is shown on the three and fivekronen stamps, . In later years he deeply regretted his crime, and had the body removed to the church of St. Vitus at Prague, to be seen on the two-kronen value.