STAMP NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 50, 27 January 1938, Page 7

STAMP NOTES

Italy recently issued a commemorative set for the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Caesar Augustus, two values of the set being shown (above) at left and ri-ht. In centre Yugoslavia s stamp ior the Balkan Entente.

The large number of different three cent stamps which have come from the United States in varying shades of purple in the past lew months have kept collectors busy, and have caused considerable comment among philatelists, not accustomed to such variety in postal paper. Commemorative stamps have become big business in the United States Postal Department, and the number of admirers of well-known and littleknown national heroes have helped along the issuance of special stamps in celebration of some person or event. According to the requests now in at the Washington postal headquarters, there should be many, more commemorative stamps during this year. The first of the pictorial commemoratives from the United States was the Columbus issue of 1893. Five years later tlie Trans-Mississippi issue appeared, and from then on the pace was speeded up with an issue every three years. In 1924 the pace was again accelerated. and several issues of single, two or three value sets appeared every year after 1925. With the advent of the' Iloosevelt New Deal, and the President an ardent collector, there were more issues added to the yearly quota—eight distinct issues at different dates, not as a complete issue. Printing this postal paper has brought millions of dollars to the Post Office for which no mail had to be carried, most of these special stamps finding their way unused into stamp collections. There is considerable agitation among Canadian collectors for a similar stamp issuing programme by the Canadian Post Office, to add to the revenue of the Dominion, since Can-

ada is one of the most popular countries witli collectors, not only throughout the Empire, but also in the United States.

Egypt issued recently a three value set for the Ophthalmological (Eye Disease) Congress held at Cairo and attended by seventy-two nations. The high values of the Earouk set feature views of Egypt with the young king’s portrait inset. Cuba has issued a commemorative for tile centenary of its railroads. Italy is to issue three values to honour Marconi, inventor of radio. Alonaco issued a miniature sheet of 10 francs on January 17, date of the annual national holiday. Nigeria has still in use stamps of Queen Victoria and Edward VII. These were obsolete and not valid for postage after December 14, according to an announcement. A year after the abdication of Edward VIII., practically all stamps of Great Britain and Alorocco agencies bearing Edward’s portrait were out of circulation, the majority being kept unused in collections and for sentimental reasons.

In 1925 Bolivia issued this stamp to commemorate the centenary of the founding of the republic.

Mothers with young babies can see and listen to the service in one London church where a glass-walled porch has been built for them.

A German doctor who saved an j English colonel’s life in the war has l>een admitted as a member of the British Legion in Siam.

Chaliapin, ' the, famous singer, who | is in Paris, has been ordered “absolute rest” by his doctors owing to a fatigued heart. I

I The highest weather station in the| world has been opened on Sphinx Rock in the Bernese Oberland; it is. 11,G50 feet up. I

The Sud express has resumed _ the service between Paris and Lisbon, which has been stopped since the outbreak of the Spanish civil war.