XMAS SEAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 805, 28 October 1929, Page 10

XMAS SEAL

Fighting Tuberculosis in New Zealand SALE OF STAMPS “Help to stamp out tuberculosis.” This message will appear on a combined postage and anti-tuberculosis stamp which is to be issued shortly by the Post and Telegraph Department. Its introduction to the Dominion is expected to raise a large sum of money to help in wiping out or preventing the dread tubercular trouble. It is already in use in many overseas countries, where it is familiarly known as the “Christmas Seal.” The Minister of Health, the Hon. A. J. Stall worthy, has agreed to the institution of the new stamp and his action has been approved by Cabinet. The funds are to be devoted to the campaign in Xew Zealand against tuberculosis and the establishment of health camps for delicate or undernourished children and for children who show a tendency to contract the disease. The seal will be used at Christmastime and persons purchasing stamps may put the extra penny seal on their letters. This extra penny is the one which will go to make up the funds for the campaign. MUCH MONEY RAISED

Last year, in the United States, during November and December, over £1,000,000 was raised by the sale of the seals. In Canada last year the sum of £ 30,000 was raised. England has now adopted the system with excellent results and it looks as though the Christmas Seal will become a universal means of fighting tuberculosis. The system has been in vogue in Denmark since 1904 and the profits from the sale of the stamps go to the National Tuberculosis Association. It is claimed that the adoption of the stamps or seals has reduced the deathrate from tuberculosis in the United States from 198 a hundred thousand of the population to 95. This means that 100,000 lives have been saved in that country during the past year. A young mail clerk in a post office in Denmark first thought of the idea. He was working late into the night distributing holiday greetings cards and letters on Chirstmas Eve. Einar Holboell, the young mail clerk, now a postmaster in Denmark, tells the story as follows: STORY OF THE SEAL “The people of Denmark regard Christmas as the greatest holiday of the year. Everybody observes it, and all hearts and hands are open at this season. “I saw at once that the Christmas stamp ought to be sold at post offices, and should cost only a trifle, so that everyone could afford to buy it. The well-to-do, who send many letters, would spend more money, but the poor could have the pleasure of helping, too.

"A committee of men of distinction was formed, and through their influence I obtained the permission of the Ministry to sell the stamps at post offices for the benefit of a fund to erect a hospital for tuberculosis children. So, a year after the idea came to me, the first tuberculosis Christmas stamps were sold in 1904. The return far exceeded our expectations. Our committee has erected a hospital accommodating 165 tuberculosis children, and since it has opened a total of over 3,000 little girls and boys have gone to the institution and have been healed. We have now three homes for weak and under-nourished children, and besides have contributed generously to societies which aim to help sick and poor children in various ways.” The Postmaster-General, the Hon. J. B. Donald, given the idea his highest commendation. Mr. G. McNamara, secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department, who first suggested the adoption of the system in the Dominion, arrived in Auckland this morning. The central feature of the seal will be a Xew Zealand nurse in uniform, with a Maori border on each side. The words “Help to stamp out Tuberculosis” appear on the stamp as an indication of the purpose to which the proceeds will be applied.