PHILATELY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 45

PHILATELY.

_ By PEr.CRK.

Very few countries nowadays are without their own set of postage stamps and postal stationery. In Europe t^ere only remain two small territories which are still without postage stamps — in the Republic of Andorra, in the Pyrenees, and the principality of Liechtenstein between the Tyrol and Switzerland, neither of which is likely to establish an independent postal system unless the revenue falls off and the issue of postage stamps appears likely to replenish .ifc. In Africa the vast Empire of Morocco harS no Government, series of stamps so far, and as England and France maintain post offices at the ports it is probable that all requirements are fulfilled by these and the various services of carriers which exist. The State of Oman, in Arabia (which was very much to the foie in the newspapers lately), stilL remains outside the pjiilatelic fold, but- the fastness of its trade and its close relations with India lead to the belief tha* the authorities may follow the example of their kinsfolk in Zanzibar and join tne postal union. The British colony of New Guinea although already a member of the postal union, has no stamps as yet, but no doubt an issue will take place when the population reaches numWs sufficient to warrant it. Various States in Central Asia, such as Bokhara and Khiva, Thibet and Baluchistan issue no postage stamps, but as they all foim practically parts of the Russian, Chinese, or 1 British Empires it is hardly likely that they will indulge in the luxury of stamps. There are -various islands in different parts of the world, notably Ascension, which have no cramps, but in no case does their size warrant the belief that an issue will take place. — Stamp Collectors' Journal.

" The Home Journals stilL continue to take the stamp auctioneers tf> task. Mr Theo. Buhl tells how a friend bought four rareties at auction for £4 17s 6d, and not being very well satisfied with his bargain, sent 'them back to the same auctioneers and bought them in for 345! Now comes the .trouble." He handed them to anothei firm to auction, and ihey were bought by an eminent dealer for £16 10s. The only construction which can be put on the various transactions is that many auctioneers are either run by dealers' rings or else do not properly advertise their goods.

The Philatelic Record notes a stamp said to be in use for piceon post between Auckland and Great Barrier Island. As these stamps have never been authorised by Government they are, in my opinion, so much waste paper, and about as worthy of a place in our albums as the Coolgardic camel post rubbish which were distinctly repudiated by the Westralian postal authorities, and any of which bearing postmarks were only postmarked on the quiet by post office officials at Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie.

Stamps are on the boom in the United States, and "the philatelic papers there are chock full of news and advertisements. The latest arrivals in the literary arena are two well got-up weeklies, and very well edited they are, and extremely convenient to the Transatlantic collection. / A number of the leading American philatelic organs which I lately received consisted of no less lharr 24 pages. Stamps are also well to the fore on the Continent. Two big continental newspapers have lately taken on a daily column re our hobby.

It was stated on Monday that an important djscovery of stamps had been made at the General Post Office (London) in the department occupied by the secretary and his chief officials. The story was to the effect that while the premises were being overhauled and placed in a state of repair for the new secretary the men came upon a great number of stamps, many of them of comparatively ancient date — 1841, for example. Amongst them were a number of the black penny variety, so dear to the heart of the juvenile philatelist, and now becoming somewhat difficult of acquisition. There were, it is said, other varieties of jqual interest, also some Mulready envelopes. One authority placed, the value of the stamps at several thousands of pounds. The Daily Telegraph representative made inquiries on the subject at the office of the Chief of the Stamps department. The only information, however, which the official would furnish was : "We have no communication to make on the matter." At the same time no denial was given to the specific statement that an important discovery of stamps of considerable value had recently been made. — Lloyd's Weekly News, February 12.

A writer in the Australian Philatelist recently asked for information re Sydney views with the Victorian "butterfly" post mark on them. I am fortunate in having iwo of these curiosities in my own collection, and consider them in their correct places at the head of my Victorians. They are specially interesting as marking the separation of the two provinces of New South Wales and Victoria. Both provinces issued their own stamps in January, 1851, but until July, 1851, Victoria, or Port Philip district as it was known as, was "administered front the sister province.

NEW ISSUES. Jajjan. — I have iuat received thf 10 sen

printed in blue and a somewhat new design, probably the precursor of a completely new set. Tasmania is to follow in our own colony's footsteps, and have a beautiful set of" adhesives. illustrating the island's resources. The "Tassie's" will have to make haste before Federation becomes an accomplished fact and stamps are issued for United Australia. Virgin Islands have just issued their promised set, and very pretty they are, being a modified version of the old set so dear to collectors of West Indian stamps.