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RESTORATION OF POSTAL SERVICE TO LIBERATED COUNTRIES During tlie past few months, postal services to the liberated countries of Europe and Asia have been gradually restored, and letter-post services are now available to all countries with the exception of Japan. Other services, including parcel-post facilities,, are also available to most of the liberated countries, the principal exceptions—apart from Germany and Japan —being Yugoslavia, the Union of Soviet Socialistic Republics,. Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Roumania, the Netherlands East Indies, and Siam. Close liaison is maintained with the United Kingdom and Australian Commonwealth postal administrations with a view to the speedy restoration of parcel-post facilities to all liberated countries, and, in particular, with Yugoslavia. The obstacle in the way of the restoration of the service to the majority of the countries mentioned is that New Zealand has no direct parcel exchanges with them, and therefore the services of an intermediate country that has a direct exchange have to be utilized. So far, those intermediate countries which New Zealand utilizes for the exchange of parcels have not themselvesrestored the parcel-post service to the liberated countries concerned. POSTAGE-STAMPS The l-|d. and 2|d. stamps of the Centennial issue overprinted " Official " were withdrawn from sale on the 31st May, 1945. Health stamps of two denominations (3d. and l|-d.) were again placed on sale on the Ist October, 1945. The stamps were printed in England by Messrs. Bradbury,. Wilkinson, and Co., Ltd., New Maiden, Surrey, and the design, which was the work of Mr. J. Berry, of Wellington, featured the well-known Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens, London. For the first time in the history of New Zealand's Health stamps, two-colour printings were employed. The stamps elicited world-wide approval, and the demand for them was so great that the stocks were completely disposed of by the sth February. The sales amounted to £87,197, and one-third of that amount,, representing the health value, together with donations amounting to £2,004 collected by the Post Office, was paid to the New Zealand Federation of Health Camps (Inc.). A new issue of stamps —the Peace issue—commemorating the restoration of peace after six years of war, was arranged during the year and placed on sale on the Ist April, 1946. There are eleven stamps in the series, the denominations and the subjects, portrayed being: — •|d. : Peace and tranquility. Id.: Faith in constitutional government. . l|-d.: A tribute to the people of Britain. 2d. : The Royal Family —In peace long may they reign." 3d. : A tribute to the Air Force. 4d.: A tribute to the Army. 5d.: A tribute to the Navy and the Mercantile Marine. 6d. : A tribute to workers on the home front. Bd.: The service and devotion of youth in the nation's cause. 9d.: A spirit of thankfulness. Is. : Remembrance. The Peace stamps were designed by Mr. J. Berry, Wellington, who had previously designed a considerable number of New Zealand stamps. The printing was undertaken in England by three firms—the Id. and 2d. values by Messrs. Bradbury, Wilkinson,, and Co., Ltd. ; the l|d. and Is. denominations by Harrison and Sons, Ltd. ; and the remainder by Waterlow and Sons, Ltd. All the stamps were printed by the intaglio process except the IJd. and Is., which were produced by collogravure. Four of the denominations (Id., 2d., 6d., and Bd.) are being overprinted in New Zealand for use in the island territories —Cook Islands, Niue, and Western Samoa. None of the stamps, will be overprinted for official use.

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