STAMP COLLECTING

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVII, Issue 14, 6 October 1906, Page 37

STAMP COLLECTING

The Postmaster-General, London, has had tested at the House of Commons the automatic stamp-selling machine, •which was invented by Mr. R. J. Dickie, a Londoner residing in New Zealand. • • • There is something akin to the poetic in the inscription on the Charity stamps of Roumania. One represents Queen Elizabeth, nursing a wounded sufferer, and the translation of the inscription is, ‘‘The wound dressed, and the tears wiped away, Elizabeth.” The other design shows the Queen seated at a weaving loom, and the inscription reads: “Women weave the future of the country, Elizabeth.” • • • Another surcharge stamp is reported from Abyssinia, namely, “40,” in violet on 2 garish brown. • • • The le green, and 2c orange stamps of Paraguay of the 1904 designs have had the word “official” introduced just under the feet of the lion. • • • The 25 heller stamp of Austria has appeared in a much paler shade of blue. The value is in blaek on a white ground. • • • It is reported that a two years’ supply of Lagos stamps have been sent to Southern Nigeria for use in that country, the two colonies having been amalgamated. • • • One dealer who had a stall at the London Philatelic Exhibition reports sales just under £ 1000 for the nine days. • • • “In our opinion the greatest pleasure is derived by those who spend no more eash upon t.heir stamp collection than they can afford for a pleasant pursuit, and are not troubled with calculations of profits arid losses.” (Stanley Gibbons’ Monthly Journal.). • • • The new 15 e. stamp of Italy is of a ▼ery distinct type. At the top is a straight label inscribed ‘ Poste Italienne” in the centre. The word “ cent ” is in the corner at the left, and the numerals “ 15” at the right hand corner. All the remainder of the stamp is occupied by a finely-executed portrait of the King, profile view. The general effect is distinctly good, the absence of florid ornamentation being quite a striking change, in respect to modern stamp designs. The colour is grey-black. • • • “ Let them all come with the whole menagerie standing on its head ” is the comment in Stanley Gibbons’ Monthly Journal, upon the fact that the 10 rees stamp of Nyassa, giraffe type, has been discovered with inverted centre. • • • The postal service of Besnia and Herzegovinia is still under the control of the military authorities. The first postage stamps were issued in 1879. On January Ist, 1900, the currency was altered from keutzer to heller, wliieh necessitated a new issue of stamps. • • • The fact that stamps of Ceylon are Ireing overprinted for use in the Maidive Islands, naturally makes philatelists interested in that place. It may be mentioned that the Maidive Islands arc situated 500 miles from Ceylon, and that none of them arc over 20ft. above the level of the sea. The population in the group in 1901 totalled 30,000. Mali is the residence of the Sultan, who pays tribute to the Government of Ceylon. That the Maidive Islanders are adopting "Western civilisation is shown by the fact that an Australian horse has been purchased for the Sultan, while the Ambassador contented himself with a motor bicycle. A dredge has been ordered to

deepen the harbour, and rubber plant Heed obtained to try and introduce that industry in the group. • • •

The Post Office in Sardinia commenced in 561, and in March, 1604, there is mention of the monopoly reserved by the Government* of the right to carry letters, and forbidding all distributions by drivers of vehicles and persons on fot. In June, 1561, Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, appointed Signor Scararnuceia, Postmaster-General, allotting to him the revenues of the Posts, in consideration of an annual payment of 700 crowns, a sum afterwards reduced in proportion to reduced receipts. But at that time the office had to do with horse posts rather than with letter posts, the latter not being introduced until some time in the seventeenth century.