JUBILEE STAMPS.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19633, 20 July 1935, Page 9

JUBILEE STAMPS.

WHY DESTROY THE SURPLUS? EXPLANATION BY POST OFFICE. “Why destroy unsold Jubilee stamps?” is a question which has been put by a number of newspaper correspondents throughout New Zealand, and there has been at least one editorial suggestion that the surplus stocks of Silver Jubilee stamps should be put up to the highest bidder at Intervals. But the unused Jubilee stamps (there is not a large stock of them) will bo destroyed, for reasons whloh will probably be generally appreciated when they are explained. The process does not Involve much waste of material, though It avoids a considerable public loss whloh would be caused if these stamps were sold at less than their face value. , AVhat has been destroyed? To the Post Office so many pieces of paper of \ very small cost, though if they went into circulation they would immediately command the value denoted upon them, for the reason that the Post Office is prepared to render service to the amount specified. For instance, | It will carry a letter across the world for a Jubilee Id stamp, or send it very speedily by air mail to the United Kingdom for is Gd. If surplus stamps were sold to the highest bidder at bargain rates they could he used to secure these postal services at a cost less than that paid by those members of the public who had not enjoyed the thrill of a bargain 1 sale. Supply and Demand. In the case of the Jubilee stamps, a stock-taking was arranged, the results telegraphed to headquarters, and deficiencies in slocks in one area filled from surpluses In another. This enabled sales to be maintained until June 22, and so carefully had supply been balanced against demand that in the General Post Office Itself only nine stamps of one particular Jubilee denomination remained in the hulk stock. However, as two thousand offices throughout the Dominion had had to bo supplied with stocks for public sale, 1 hero was an Inevitable surplus after June 22, and tilts was returned to the General Post Office (o'he destroyed. Ample notice was given of Ihe withdrawal, and simultaneous action avoided encouragement to speculators. The Post Office Is concerned only with the servicc-vnluo of the stamps It sells, though philatelists can tell • many stories of special stamp Issues made for their benefit ami for the particular profit of sundry small countries of (lie world. A certain Eastern King who officially opened a new seaport celebrated Ihe event with the Issue, for one day only, of an appropriate stamp. There was such a tremendous rush to the only post office at which It was available thal people climbed on to the roof and In the melee two persons were killed and several injure^.