New Postage Stamps.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2092, 7 April 1898, Page 2

New Postage Stamps .

On Tuesday morning Mr Clough was : besiged by eager- applicants for what are already known to fame as the ‘twopenny ha’penny Wakitipu,? the name being misspe't, the purchasers are evidently of the opinion that as the error is to be immediately rectified the stamps will in a year or two become' of value. They probably will in the course of years become valuable on ; account of their rarity- This issue has been the absorbing topic among New Zealand philatelists for some months past and a few remarks thereon may be of interest to many of our readers who are curiosity hunters. The initial supply of the stamps has been printed in London by the engravers, Messrs Waterlow and Sons. These stamps will be distinct in one important respect from those to be printed in the colony, Inasmuch as those of English manufacture are upon white - woven unwafc9rmarked paper, , whilst those to be printed in the colony will bear the well-known watermark N.Z. and star. Further distinctions are noticeable in colour and perforation. The former printing has been considerably commented upon by philatelists as being the only safeguard against forgery, but we incline to the view that the quality of the engraving is such as will defy the skill of the most expert forger, leaving out the question of printing. It is anticipated by philatelists that in view of the recommendations of the 1897 Postal Conference held at Washington, the £d, Id and 2id stamps will be changed in colour to green, red and blue, respectively ; if this eventuates it will necessitate altering the colours of blue stamps that now bear these colours, in order to avoid the confusion of. having two different denominations of the same colour Although the Washington Postal Conference regulations do not coma into operation tintil Ist January, 1 1899, several countries have already fallen in with the contemplated change. The fact of Wakatipu being misspelt upon, the 2|d stamp appears to have already given that stamp a greater demand than any of the other values, as the error is to be_Jimmediately 'rectified,