Pacific Stamp Box

Edited by John Hunter

INTEREST continues in philatelic cir cles for Australia’s 1988 bicentennial celebrations. Tuvalu issued a set of four stamps and a souvenir sheet to commem orate the Australian Bicentennial and World Scout Jamboree.

As announced earlier, both the United States and the United Kingdom are plan ning joint issues with Australia on June 21; Australia will issue two se-tenant pairs of stamps. The values will be 37 cents and $1 to coincide with the internal and overseas airmail rate to the UK. Each stamp will include the Australian flag as the back ground with a series of motifs superim posed. The Australian stamp will feature the bicentennial logo; however, the British stamps will not. The stamps will be sold in both countries. The British stamps will be 18p and 34p.

Both the US and Australia will, on Jan uary 26, issue a single 37 cent stamp fea turing a koala wearing a football jumper and a stockman’s hat and the American eagle dressed as Uncle Sam.

PLANS are well under way for Australia’s national stamp exhibition, Sydpex 88. To be held in Sydney from July 30 to August 8, at the Royal Agricultural Showground, it will fill three halls. The organising coun cil has announced that no charge will be made for entrance and will provide a free bus shuttle service from Circular Quay to the exhibition.

ON NOVEMBER 20, Penrhyn and Aitu taki, in the Cook Islands, overprinted sup plies of scenic stamps and royal wedding stamps featuring Prince Charles, to com memorate the 40th wedding anniversary of the wedding of Queen Elizabeth 11. On December 7 the Cook Islands issued a set of three stamps and two souvenir sheets featuring Rembrandt’s Christmas paintings.

KIRIBATI issued a set of four stamps and a souvenir sheet featuring skinks of the area on October 27.

ON NOVEMBER 10, Vanuatu issued a set of four stamps depicting popular Christ mas carols.

FIJI issued a set of four stamps featuring scenes from the Christmas nativity story late in 1987.

SAMOA issued a set of four stamps on No vember 30 featuring Christmas celebra tions. Depicted is a Christmas tree, going to church, a bamboo fire gun, and return ing home from church.

THE SOLOMON Islands issued a set of four stamps on October 31 showing trans port and communications in Asia and the Pacific. The issue is part of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pa cific transport and communication theme.

Featured is civil aviation, road transport, postal services and telecommunications.

THE CENTENNIAL of the Nauru Con gregational Church was marked on No vember 5 with the issue of a stamp.

A STORM of protest has been prompted by New Zealand’s action in closing 432 post offices considered uneconomic. Also, the New Zealand Post Office removed hundreds of post boxes as part of the cost cutting measure.

PAPUA New Guinea added a new stamp to its list of material. On November 11 maximum cards, featuring aeroplanes, were issued as part of its four-stamp set.

On the same date a St John’s PSE and Christmas PSE were issued.

I RECENTLY wrote to every Pacific country requesting a program of 1988 is sues, but received only two replies. Other stamp journalists tried the same exercise and were met with a similar silence. Coun tries should see the value in clearly pro moting a program of issues. Most countries work at least one year ahead of issue dates in design and preparations of stamp is sues. With the continuing slump in the number of collectors and the ongoing drop in revenue from stamp sales, issuing a pro-

gram does much to encourage interest in a country’s stamps. Below are the pro grams for the two countries that responded: New Zealand: January 13: Electricity and centenary of philately; March 2: Visual arts; April 20: Native birds; June 8: Sce nic; July 27: Health; September 14: Christ mas; November 2: Birds.

Papua New Guinea: February 17: Ships stamp and bird aerogramme; April 14: Butterly stamp and East New Britain PSEs; June 26: Police stamp, Eicon PSE and Girl Guide PM; August 1: Ship stamp and Aus tralian Bicentennial stamp; September 28: Olympic stamps and National Library PSE; November 30: Bird of Paradise stamp and Christmas PSE.