PHILATELY. THE SEYCHELLES ISLANDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 35

PHILATELY.

THE SEYCHELLES ISLANDS.

Bsr OtD Stamp.

Mr D. A. Vindin (lately of Sydney, but now of London), whilst on his jonrney Home, spent a short time at these islands, and contributes quite a brief history of them to Vindin's Monthly. So little has been published concerning them, and perhaps outside of philatelists their very existence is not known to many people. Though a little wide of the 6ubjecb of philately, the interesting article is sufficient excuse for its publication. He writes ; —

As very little is known by most people about the Seychelles Islands, I will perhaps be excused for wandering from a strictly philatelic subject in order to afford some information concerning that most interesting group. According fco Whitaker, there are about 30 islands in the group. The population five years ago was 16,162, of which I do not think 200 are Europeans. Principal exporfcs are vanilla, cocoanut oil, and tortoiseshell. The climate is very healthy, the death rate being only 16 5 per 1000. The principal island is Mah6, and Port Victoria, the capital, is beautifully situated afc the base of high hills on tbe north-east side. The harbour is very fine, well protected, and with deep water.

Mah6 is distant 3932 miles from Albany (W.A.), it taking us 11 days to reach there from the latter place. During this time we had no sight of land, and only passed one vessel — a sailing ship. Port Victoria, to my mind, is one of the most picturesque and beautiful places on earth. The harbour is closed in by four or five small islands covered with cocoanut trees and tropical vegetation. The water of the bay is a beautiful clear green. The town, in fche shape of a horseshoe, is situated about the foot of very high hills, several of them ascending hundreds of feet and cloudtipped, the whole being covered with one mass of cocoanut trees, beautiful green palms, and vegetation. The heat is never very oppressive. The place is almost free from illness, and from every point of view it is an ideal island home.

The famous double cocoanut is found on these islands and nowhere else, and by some scientific theorists it is the correct location of the Garden of Eden. Fish of good quality is plentiful ; pineapples, mangoes, and good bananas also nourish. There are no cattle or sheep on the islands, owing fco fche almost total absence of grass, the "meat" supply consisting of turtles and ponlfcry. A very excellent salad is made from the cabbage tree palm. There is no native population ; the inhabitants are consequently of a somewhat mixed character — chiefly Africans from Zanzibar, with a sprinkling of Hindoos, Cingalese, Arabs, Chinese, and Europeans, the hitter mostly of French descent from Mauritius, which is situated 940 miles fco fche south. There is an excellent post office at Mahe, which is conducted apparently on a very " happy-go-lucky " principle. However, this applies chiefly fco the varying allowance made for currency and the consequent variation in the cost of stamps and postage. The serious business appears fco be conducted as well as at most Eastern post offices, and the officials are much more courteous and painstaking. When you haye business to transact at the Mah6 post office it does not do fco be impatient ; if you are you will get heated, and annoy yourself exceedingly.

The Dunedin Philatelic Society resumed their usual meetings on Thursday evening last, at their rooms. Mr B. T. Ringer presided, and there was a very fair attendance. As it is known that there are a great many collectors in town who are not members of the society, it was resolved to reduce the annual subscription to 2s 6d, so as to induce them to join it. Correspondence from the other colonies was read, and two consignments of stamps for exchange received from England. Some beautiful specimens of the first issue of stamps of Western Australia were shown by a member.

Though most of the members were present, I was disappointed none of the outside collectors in Dunedin and neighbourhood, of whom I know there are a goodly number, availed themselves of fche society's invitation, and mine too, to be present. At the meetings members enter into the spirit of the business, and profit largely thereby. They have opportunities for exchanging and acquiring stamps that they have not otherwise. Surely it is not the trifling subscription that keeps these collectors aloof. To encourage new members to join, the society haye resolved to reduce the charge for membership to new members from 5s to 2s 6d for the first year. My opinion is that this concession will not fetch them, though I wish ifc might. Just possibly the collectors I refer to may by chance not see the Otago Witness, though that seems scarcely likely, but if not publicity of the proceedings of the society are recorded in the Daily Times.

A man has been arrested in the United States for offering to soil for Bdol a steel engraving representing different events in the discovery of America by Columbus. In return for fche Bdol he sends a set of the lowest value Columbus stamps, which are only worth 84c.

The Philatelic Society of New Zealand, which was established in 1888, and whose headquarters are in Wellington, has a large membership — some 48. I only notice three as belonging to Dunedin, and only one of these belongs to our own society. The other members are mainly living in the North Island, while one is a Russian prince, living in St. Petersburg.

Canada has passed a new Dominion Criminal Code Bill providing for a penalty of 14 years' imprisonment on conviction of counterfeiting, using, or selling bogus stamps of Canada or any other country. The bill is highly commended in the philatelic press.

The United States Congress has passed a bill prohibiting the transmission by mail of covers obviously intended to reflect upon the character or conduct of addressees. " Bad Debt Collecting Agency," •• Collecting Detective Agency," or similar words, are examples of correspondence which is barred.

There is to be a philatelic exhibition in Milan duriug this year, but the exact date is not finally fixed. Next year also Luxembourg threatens to have an exhibition. These exhibitions create and maintain a strong interest in the subject, and from the constantly recurring shows m differrnt places ifc seems as if they were appreciated