ANZAC STAMPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22401, 23 April 1936, Page 13

ANZAC STAMPS

COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE HELPING EX-SERVICEMEN CAMPAIGN OPENS NEXT WEEK Special Anzac commemoration stamps depicting a New Zealand soldier will be on sale on Monday at all post offices in the Dominion in denominations of Id and 2d, under a scheme sponsored by the New Zealand Eeturned Soldiers' Association for the relief of distress among ex-servicemen and their families. These will be the first Anzac stamps issued by the New Zealand Poet Office and they will be available until after the close of business on Saturday, June 20. The Id denomination is in green and it represents $d postage jlnd id contribution toward ex-servicemen's distress funds. The 2d stamp is in red, Id being for postage and Id for the funds. The issue is of philatelic importance, and to emphasise it special letter covers are being distributed free from all post offices for use on the opening day of the campaign.

There is a need for generous consideration being given to help many returned men who, by reason of their war service, are facing ill-health and economic difficulties. Although it is 21 years since the Anzac landing, and nearly 18 years since the Armistice, men are still breaking down in health because of their war experience, or their disabilities are being intensified with advancing years. Pensions and official allowances have been generous and patriotic societies have assisted, but the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association still finds it necessary to help ex-servicemen and their families in many ways. Unemployment has naturally placed a great strain on the association's resources. The whole amount raised for the relief of distress under the Anzac stamp scheme will be administered by the association without deductions for expensed, so that every stamp purchased is a direct contribution toward helping a returned man or his family.

Although New Zealand artists were invited to submit suggestions for the design of the stamp, none of those received was adopted in its entirety, the actual design of a New Zealand soldier of Gallipoli days standing in the foreground of Anzac Cove being a composite drawing by Mr. L. C. Mitchell, of Wellington, from suggestions received. While the hat is not the slouch hat or cap of the Gallipoli period, it was felt that by including the peaked hat the headgear would be more typical of that worn by the New Zealand soldier during most of the war. Maori patterning has been worked into the puter border of the stamp and«

laurel leaves and the four stars of the southern cross are also included.

GENERAL GODLEY'S MESSAGE COMRADES IN DOMINION [BT TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Wednesday The Dominion president of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C., has received the following letter from General Sir Alexander Godley:— "I am writing in good time to ensure that Anzac Day, 1936, does not pass without a message from me to the Returned Soldiers' Association of the Dominion. The happy memory of my last year's visit and of seeing so many of you then, is still very fresh in my mind, and makes me feel that it has bound roe more .closely than ever to my old comrades of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forq|, "I hope ypu and all your executive and branches are very flourishing, and I would be grateful if you will convey to them all my very sincere greetings and good wishes, and tell them all how much I shall bo thinking of them on the great day of remembrance, which I am always proud to think that I share with such good and staunch comrades as the soldiers of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force."