PENNY POSTAGE.

Northern Advocate, 26 July 1923, Page 6

PENNY POSTAGE.

PREPARING FOR - ITS RETURN.

NEW STAMPS MAY BE ISSUED,

Postage charges have fluctuated interestingly in New Zealand during the last quarter of a century, a fact which is brought to mind by the recent announcement by the Postmaster-General that penny postage for letters y? to be resumed on October 1 of this year. A quarter of a century ago the charge for all ordinary letters (not exceeding 4oz. in -weight) was 2d, but on January 1, .1901, when Sir Joseph Ward was Post-master-General, the charge was reduced to Id within the British Empire, thus partly realising the dream of the late Sir Hennikcr Hon ton. From that date until September 23, 1915, the letter postage charge remained the same, but that- year the Government imposed •id war tax, making the postage lid. In 1920 the Government, experiencing Ihe big slump which kit everyone in the community, raised the letter post-" age charge to 2d, l)ut, on February 1 last it was brought back to lid, owing to the improved conditions and a brighter outlook. Thanks to more businesslike methods being introduced and

ligid eronomy practised, in connection with the General Post Office, penny postage, absent for nearly eight years, is about to be resumed

Philatelists and others will be interested to learn that ir. nil probability :m nltor>ether new penny stamp will be issued on October 1. No design has vet been definitely decided upon, but the stamp will be printed with pinkcoloured ink —the tint agreed upon for the penny stamp bv the International Postal Congress.