THE WAR STAMP.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2594, 16 October 1915, Page 3

THE WAR STAMP.

Sir,—There are . several points about the new war stamp that are uot clear to me. Has it to be put on post-cards to countries in the postal union? Again, can it he used 'as an ordinary stamp, and three of them used on a letter for countries outside of British possessions? Then there is a question with regard to parcels to New Zealand from foreign countries that are first sent to London, from, say, Sweden or Italy. They bear no. stamps. These are, I believe, on a separate paper. As these stamps are uot given to the recipients of the parcel, where do they go? They are often, of hipjh value, and of use to collectors, and I suppose they are held up in the post office. Is it not usual for the addressee to become the owner of the stamps, as he really paj's the postage indirectly through the addresser, or has he no right to them? I have received parcels for years, and only once or twice have any stamps come through, and then they were on a separate document.—l am,, etc., DUM SPIRO SPERO. P.S.—Have letters to a postmaster to bear the war tax as wbll as tho ordinary postage? The Secretary, General Post Office, states' The now war stamp is mainly intended to direct attention to the additional postage required for revenue purposes during the war, but so, long as ordinary rates of postage on all postal packets, except newspapers, are supplemented by the war tax of_}d., it is immaterial whether the special war stamp or an ordinary J-d. stamp is used. Thus on a letter ordinarily subject to Id. postage cither a lid. stamp or a Id. stamp and a id. stamp of either variety may. be used. Three war stamps may if desired bo used instead of Id. stamp and id. stamp. Letters, letter-cards, post-cards, and other article? for places beyond New Zealand which are prepaid at Postal Union rates of postage do not require to be stamped with an additional id. Some parcels from-foreign countries by way of London have been received in New Zealand without stamps; and inquiries are being made of the London Post Office why no stamps have been affixed to such parcels. ' Letters to a postmaster which are subject to the ordinary postago must bear the additional charge.