Postage Stamps:

Cook Is. Premier

Replies To Critics

Issues of stamps from th Cook Islands were at all time under full and complete Goverr ment control and were made i accordance with Governmer policy, the Cook Island

Premier, Mr. Albert Henr}

said in a letter to PIM in July.

MR. HENRY was commenting o an article in the June issue c PIM, p. 19, in which it was state* that philatelic journals in New Zea land and Australia had become in creasingly concerned over the Coo!

Islands Government’s expressed polic 1 of deliberately exploiting world stamj collectors to obtain revenue.

Mr. Henry said he did not propos* to enter into any controversy, but ii case any stamp collector should b< misled by the type of article fron which PIM quoted, he wished to state that: • As with all Government activ ities, the utmost care is taken to pre vent any dishonest dealings or the obtaining of stamps without authority, and since public monies are involved the fullest audit is at all times taken, • Any collectors interested in Cook Islands stamps can at all times fully and completely rely upon the integrity of the Cook Islands Govern ment and if they so wish may write to the Cook Islands Government or the Philatelic Bureau at Rarotonga and any reasonable request for in formation will be attended to from official sources. • Statements of criticism and emotional outbursts from unofficial sources should at all time be ignored by those people who wish to obtain and act on reliable information. • Governments, of course, are considered fair game for criticism and where this is unreasonable and abusive it merits the only treatment possible, that is to ignore it. • On July 14, a USAF Boeing jet air tanker-refueller made an emer gency landing at Christmas Island, with two engines out of action. Re placements were to be flown to the island from Hickham Air Force Base.

Meanwhile, the plane’s officers and crew were being cared for by USAF personnel based on Christmas Island.