Fiji Health Stamps

And The Anti-TB Campaign Only A “Partial Success”

SUVA, April 8.

Health Stamps for 1952-53 are likely to be delayed because le London printers are snowed nder with British Commonwealth sues bearing the portrait of the new »ueen.

The closing date of the competi on for new Fiji Health Stamp esigns has been extended until uly 15.

The first issue of Health Stamps i Fiji produced only £2,000 —for le War Memorial Anti-TB Cam aign. This revenue could have een doubled if the stamp cam aign had been effectively organised nd publicised. For many years nnual NZ Health Stamp issues have burned huge sums for the establish lent and maintenance of health amps for children.

Fiji’s stamps, appeared without ny of the trumpeting that is profit bly employed in the neighbouring lominion. There was no launching iremony and it seemed that official om could not care less about the hole business.

Apparently it was nobody’s busi ess to set about selling the stamps i quantity to people who could fford to use them in quantity.

The first Health Stamps were an nfortunate anti-climax to the over helming enthusiasm which, in 1949, reduced more than £60,000 from eople of all races for the Anti-TB ampaign.

What is more disturbing is the fact lat in the last two years the amount f solid, official information about le whole campaign has been ex emely meagre.

Editorial Note: There appeared ) be the normal amount of nthusiasm around Suva post-office ist September when the health tamps went on sale for the first me. The population of NZ is six mes that of Fiji—and the letter- Titing proportion of the population ifinitely greater in NZ. At all vents, postal rates have now become o high that most people are hard ut to it to patronise Her Majesty’s iails at all, much less pay a sur harge in the name of charity. It 'Quid, however, be interesting to now more about the Fiji anti-TB

campaign. A reader who is in terested in the Tamavua TB Hospital near Suva gives a picture of condi tions there that contrast strangely with the magnificent TB hospitals that have been established by the repatriation authorities in Australia and New Zealand. There apparently has been unavoidable delay in pur chasing certain equipment in Fiji, but it should not be forgotten that the important time for a TB sufferer is the present, and that the delights to come four or five years hence are not likely to do him much good or interest him very much).

Dr. Samiuela Taumopcau. a young Tongan medical practitioner who arrived in Sydney in April on leave intends to spend some time on post graduate studies in surgery and medicine.