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JAMAICA : DIRECT PARCEL-POST SERVICE. A direct exchange for ordinary parcels was introduced between New Zealand and Jamaica on the Ist October. Prior to that date parcels for Jamaica were exchanged via Great Britain. Opportunity was also taken to increase the weight-limit from 11 lb. to 22 lb. POSTAGE-STAMPS. Coronation Stamps. !he Coronation of Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth was commemorated by a special issue of three stamps —Id., 2|d., and 6d.—bearing a portrait of their Majesties within a New Zealand border designed by Mr. J. Berry, Wellington. The vignette and the production of the stamps were the work of Messrs. Bradbury, Wilkinson, and Co., Ltd., England. The stamps were on sale from the 13th May to the 31st December, the number sold being Id., 38,455,554 ; 2|d., 1,564,496 ; and 6d., 2,079,611. Eight plates were used for the printing of the Id. denomination and two plates each for the 2|d. and 6d. values. New Zealand Coronation stamps appropriately overprinted were placed on sale at Niue and the Cook Islands on the 13th May and Ist June respectively, and were withdrawn on the 31st December. The plates used for overprinting the Niue stamps were IL. (Id.), 2L. (2|d.), and 3L. (6d.), and those for overprinting the Cook Islands stamps were IT. and 4T. (Id.), 2T. (2|d.), and 3T. (6d.). Three different sets of formes were used for overprinting the stamps for each of the Islands. The number of stamps sold was as follows—Niue : Id., 730,429 2|d., 575,288 ; and 6d, 547,000. Cook Islands : Id., 737 572 • 2|d., 569,108 ; and 6d., 541,657. King George VI Stamp. A |d. stamp portraying His Majesty King George VI was issued on the Ist March. The border design was the work of Mr. W. J. Cooch, of Wellington, and the vignette was engraved from a photograph by Dorothy Wilding, of London. Messrs. Bradbury, Wilkinson, and Co., Ltd., England, printed the stamp. Pictorial Stamps. New plates were used to print supplies of the -|d., 2|d., and 9d. denominations. The |d. stamp was withdrawn from sale on the 28th February. " Official " Stamps. Pictorial stamps printed on multiple watermarked paper and overprinted " Official " were issued during the year as follows : 25., May ; |d., July ; 6d., November ; 2d., January ; 3d. and 9d., March. On the Ist March the King George VT |d. stamp overprinted " Official " was placed on sale. The 2d■ pictorial official stamp and all King George V official stamps were withdrawn on the 28th February. Health Stamps. The Health stamp for 1937 was of the usual denomination, 2d. (Id. for postage and Id. for the Health Camp Fund). I lie design which depicted a youthful tramper standing on a rocky promontory, was prepared by Messrs. G. Bull and J. Berry, of Wellington, and the engraving and printing were carried out at the Note-printing Branch of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Melbourne. 0 The stamp was issued on the Ist October and was withdrawn from sale on the 15th Februarv the number sold being 897,035. The Department's health-stamp organization took an active part in the King George V Memorial Fund Campaign conducted by Government during the year for the establishment of permanent health camps in New Zealand. Consequently, the last health-stamp campaign was on a smaller scale than usual, although active steps were taken to promote the sale of health stamps. As a result of the sale of stamps the Health Camp Fund benefited to the extent of approximately £3,300. Postage-due Stamps. During the year a change was made from Cowan to Wiggins Teape paper for printing the following postage-due stamps : 2d. (June) ; 3d. (November) ; |d. (February), All values of the postage-due series are now printed on Wiggins Teape paper. Government Life Insurance Stamps. Tn July Cowan paper was replaced by Wiggins Teape paper for the printing of the Government Life Insurance stamp of the 6d. denomination. FRUIT-INSPECTION-FEE STAMPS. On behalf of the Department of Agriculture the Post Office undertook the production, distribution and sale of the adhesive stamps for the payment by fruitgrowers, under the New-Zealand-grown Fruit Regualtions, 1938, of the inspection fees on graded fruit. The stamps, which are in the denominations -|d. and Id., were printed at the Government Printing Office from typograph line-etched plates prepared by Messrs. Coulls, Somerville, Wilkie, Ltd., Dunedin They were placed on sale on the 28th March, the date on which the regulations became operative

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