Postage Stamp

Racket

Special Issue For Tokelaus— Pop. 1,000!

THE postage stamp racket has extended even to the far Tokelaus. The Group—which itself is nearly small enough to go on a postage stamp—is a dependency of Western Samoa, which is in the care of New Zealand. There are only 1,000 natives on Tokelaus’ three small atolls.

Ever since the Tokelau (or Union) Islands were detached from the Gilbert and Ellice Colony and attached, for greater convenience, to Samoa, they have used Samoan postage stamps—a simple and proper arrangement. The quiet Poly nesians of the Tokelaus do not use a stamp per person per annum.

Now, some genius in Wellington has arranged for the issue of id., Id. and 2d. stamps, designed and printed especially for the Tokelaus; and they are to be on sale, from April next in the chief towns of New Zealand and in Apia. Probably, they will be on sale also in the Tokelaus: but it is obvious that they are not being issued for the Tokelaus, but in order that some New Zealand Department may gather in a few thousand easy pounds from the world’s devoted stamp collectors.

Most of the Pacific Territories Govern ments have engaged in this racket from time to time, and enriched their coffers accordingly. It will go on, presumably, so long as stamp collectors are prepared to lend themselves to the business.

Mr. E, J. Thomsett has been appointed a director of W. R. Carpenter & Co. (Fiji), Ltd.

Burns Philp (New Guinea) Limited, which was incorporated in Papua on September 18. 1946, has been registered m New Gumea as “a foreign company,” with headquarters in Mango Avenue,

Keddrui.