TAMPERING WITH STAMPS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 173, 13 July 1908, Page 4

TAMPERING WITH STAMPS.

Thursday's Southland News says:— The action of some person or persons in the Invercargill l'ost Office in removing the cancelled postage stamps on envelopes passing through that institution lu\s been causing a good deal of comment in certain quarters. What is done is to remove the stamp, if it is of any value, and substitute a common cancelled Id New Zealand one in its place. This practice has been going on for some time. Some weeks ago a gentleman was surprised tq receive a Jamaica newspaper with a Kcw Zealand stamp 011 it, and yesterday a packet came to this office—of considerable weight—'with merely a penny stamp, when at least a'4d one was required. Investigation showed that what original cancellation was left was ''Dunedin," while that on the stamp in question was altogether different. A registered pared which also came to this ollice—nearly two months ago —arrived without a stamp at all, traces of glim showing only too clearly that the stamp had been surreptitiously removed. No doubt an elaborate system is being used, including the inevitable kettle for ''steaming/' ami the results financially to the "steamers" cannot but be successful on account of the high prices ruling for cancelled stamps since the inauguration of "penny postage." This practice should be put down with a firm hand, since a .much-enduring public cannot but feel alarmed with their correspondence being tampered with in an\* way whatever.