TIN CAN MAIL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19862, 27 July 1934, Page 8

TIN CAN MAIL

OPPORTUNITY FOR STAMP COLLECTORS. Philatelists in search of novelty should take advantage of the opportunity afforded by the Marama’s cruise from Auckland on August 7 to the South Sea Islands, and have letter postmarked by the Tin-Can Mail of the Island of Nluafoou. Lying midway on the 600 mile stre’ i between Fiji and Samoa, Niuafoou is a lonely little place, with a population of about a thousand natives and a few whites. It is an active volcano, the whole centre of the island helng a crater lake surrounded by a ring of cliffs from the top of which there is a steep fall to the sea. There is neithe' lagoon nor harbour, and only one or two precarious landing places for boats. When steamers call off the Island with mails these are sealed in tin cans and thrown overboard. The natives used to swim off to pick them up, but since one of the islanders was eaten by a sharp, swimming has become unpopular with them and nowadays a canoe comes out.

Stamp-coUectors wishing to obtain the postmarks of the “Tin-Can Mail” on their envelopes should send an addressed envelope under cover to the Purser, s.s. Marama, Auckland, before August 7, accompanied by loose New Zealand stamps for 5d (2d for the necessary Tohgan stamp, and 3d charged for landing the mail). The letters will be despatched again from Niuafoou by the next outward mail.