"Upset"
pp. 29-30 · Read in the full issue
Collectors "Upset"
From a Suva Correspondent Many South Pacific philatelists are upset at having no opportunity of ob taining some of the limited number of Tongan overprinted stamps released in February to mark the Centenary of Emancipation. One Suva collector even claims that an “air of secrecy" surrounding the release of the stamps indicated that some organisation cor nered the market.
THE Suva collector is Mr. H. Hod son, secretary of the Fiji Philatelic Society.
His story is that an organisation possibly made the suggestion of the special overprint issue to the Tongan Government, provided a certain num ber were allocated to them.
He said that no indication of the issue was given outside Tonga. There was no mention of it in the bulletins of the Crown Agents, London. Yet a previous commemorative issue, for the 75th anniversary of Postal Ser vices, 1886-1961, was advertised in the normal manner, and was an nounced through the Crown Agents bulletins. The Crown Agents pro duced a special supplement giving full details of the stamps and the reason for the issue.
Philatelists throughout the world took part in that issue, and first day covers were sent out.
All Sold Out In the latest case, says Mr. Hodson, a special issue of the Tongan Govern ment Gazette of February 5 gave a list of the stamps which had been overprinted by the Government Printer at Nukualofa.
The stamps were put on sale on February 7, but remittances sent from overseas were returned with the ad vice, “all stamps sold out”.
“This would seem impossible in view of the lack of publicity to the stamp world, and certainly favours the idea that one person has scooped the pool,” Mr. Hodson said.
“Why has the philatelic world been let down, when the revenue earning of such commemorative issues depends on the good relationship that a Colony keeps with its purchasers?
“No Australia or New Zealand buyers even heard of the issue, let alone the United Kingdom.
“It is to be wondered whether the
publishers of the world standard ! logues will recognise this stamp?
“We sincerely trust that this not be allowed to happen agaii philatelists in the South Pacific to feel that the stamps are for and that each issuing country freely to all its philatelic custo: throughout the world.”