NEW POSTAGE AND REVENUE STAMPS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2469, 6 March 1882, Page 3

NEW POSTAGE AND REVENUE STAMPS.

[fbom the oobbespondhnt of thb " PBBBS.] WELLINGTON, March 4.

It has been decided to begin the coming financial year, which commences on the Ist prox., with an entirely new set of adhesive stamps, to be used both for postage and revenue purposes. It was some time ago arranged to make the penny postage stamps available for reoeipts, and vice versa. It is found desirable, however, to introduce _ a fresh system of stamps with the new finanoial year, and dies for these have just been completed. The new Btamps will be respectively penny, twopence, threepence, fourpence, sixpence, eightpence, and a shilling. The design* are very neat and well executed. The main feature is, of course, the head of the Queen, surrounded by border, varying in shape and design according to the amount of the stamp, For instance, in the penny stamp the royal head is placed within an elliptical border, bearing the words setting forth the value of the stamp. In the twopenny and eightpenny stamps the borders are hexagonal, and in the threepenny, fourpenny, and shilling stamps all are oircular, but varied in treatment. In the sixpenny stamp the border is oquaro. The colors are to be totally different from those of stamps at present in use, viz.—the penny will be crimson, the twopence mauve, threepence yellow, fourpence groen, sixpence brown, eightpence red, shilling Indian red. These stamps and no others will be issued after the 31st. Until that date old stamps will be used so far as they will go. All the old penny postage stamps have been issued, and now penny receipt stamps are being given out. It is expeoted that these will last to the end of the month, but if not a few more will be struck off with the old dies, as it is not intended to introduce new ones until the Ist pros. The new stampß will bo usable for all inland revenue purposes, excepting beer duty, for which the specially prepared stamp must in all cases be employed. One rule, however, will bo enforced, namely, that when duty has to be represented by adhesive stamps it will be imperative to use the stamps whose value most nearly approaches the amount of the duty payable. Eor instance, if the duty is 10s one 10s stamp must be used, and not ten stamps of a shilling eaoh. Two fives may be accepted in certain cases, but as a rule the highest value of stamp must be used. The objeot of this rule is to prevent any repetition of frauds such as were detected in Wellington last year. I find that the stamp revenue has come in wonderfully well. The Treasurer's estimate for the whole Tear was £150,000, but no less than £157,152 having already bee i received for only eleven months the total for the year will be fully £20,000 above the estimate.