THE EMPIRE'S STAMPS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXI, Issue LXII, 7 April 1911, Page 2

THE EMPIRE'S STAMPS.

With the exception of the penny stamp, the Dominion will issue a series of stamps bearing as a central design King George's head. That the series will not be complete is probably due to the fact that the penny stamp commemorates "universal penny postage," and evidently it is considered undesirable to supersede it yet awhile. We are, however, says The Times, not the first to place King George's head upon our stamps. As far back as 1899, while Queen Victoria was, on the throne, King George's head appeared on the five cent Newfoundland stamp. South Africa last November celebrated the Union with a 2|d stamp, bearing a [ portrait of our present King, and the arms of the four constituent colonies in the corners. So great is the demand by philatelists for this stamp that 38,000 have been sold at the High Commissioner's office in London. A regular issue of Union stamps has not yet been decided upon, but immediate steps have been taken to make all the stamps oi the various colonies interchangeable. In this respect Australia shows a sad lack of enterprise. Notwithstanding the years that have passed since the federalising of the postal services, stamps bought, in one State are still useless in the others. The separate printing of stamps by each State must mean a waste of money, to say nothing of the great inconvenience to travellers. Canadian stamps are marked by their uniformity and simplicity. King Edward and Queen Alexandra have figured on the two-cent stamp, and our present King and Queen on the £-cent. The same oval which in one issue bore Queen Victoria's head bore, after her death, King Edward,s portrait, and it is expected that the uniformity will be maintained in the case of King George. India for the present is taking no action ; her stamps will probably bear the same portrait as that of England's new series. With the Crown colonies nothing is definite except' that King George's head will not be universally adopted. British Guiana is not likely to desert her historic full-rigged ship, or Bermuda' her floating dock. All the West Indies desire something distinctive, and their local patriotism claims seated Britannias and various emblematical groups in preference to joining the majority of Crown colonies with the King's kead.