STAMP PROFITS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 March 1934, Page 8

STAMP PROFITS

sale of new issues

DEMAND FROM COLLECTORS

Although the Post and Telegraph Department has 'been criticised for expending money on the issue of -new ana special postage stamps,, actually such ventures result in considerable profit being made, .according to Mr R; J. G. Collins, the secretary of the New Zea-j land Philatelic Council. | The department makes a handsome profit out of the issue of any stamp, ’ Mr Collins said. A s an example, he mentioned the recent issue of air mail stamps for the trans-Tasman- 'flight. It

would not be an exaggeration to say that the Post and Telegraph Department would receive from the sale of the unused stamps : of that issue (to’ coDectPdX akn,e). cpnsid.era.bly,. njLQrey than. £IOCO, Mr Collins said. Those unused stamps would, in the ordinary course, never b e required to fulfil any postal purpose, but would be kept by collectors.

In addition to that amount, Mr Colitis said, the department would also receive .a percentage of the amount paid for the stamps used for franking air in i-il letters. Since no fewer than 40,000 letters were sent, many of which were franked with more than the necessary amount of postage hv collectors, the department ought to have received approximately £2OO from that source.

Mr Collins also referred to the forthcoming issue of the new set of pictorial stamps for New Zealand: When the new stamps were placed on sale probably the entire cost of their production would bo, covered by sales to collectors during the first week of issue, he said. That would serve to answer any criticism of the department, on the ground that the expense of issuing the new stamps was not justified at the present time .