Pacific Stamp Box

Edited by John Hunter

WELL, Sydpex has come and gone.

I have indicated in previous col umns that it would be an indi cator, of sorts, of the state of philately in Australia. If numbers attending are an in dication, Australian philately is in trouble: only 28,000 people attended over the ex hibition’s nine days, and there was no sign of the crowds of Ausipex 1984 and Sydpex 1980. Many of the dealers and overseas authorities did not even cover their costs.

A sad sign, too, was the disproportion ate number of older people. Sadly, the young have gone from the hobby, and it is obvious that the philatelic scene is going through a trough. But this has happened before and interest has recovered: let us hope history will repeat itself.

NUIE issued a set of seven stamps on June 20 to commemorate the 1988 European Football Cup Championship. Soccer is the most popular sport in Nuie. Featured on the seven stamps are pictures of 1970 s soc cer star Franz Beckenbauer.

NEW CALEDONIA issued two stamps on August 1 to commemorate Australia’s Bi centenary and Sydpex; New Caledonia was represented at Sydpex. The stamps are: 42F Laperouse sighting Botany Bay; 42F the landing of Captain Phillip at Botany Bay.

ON July 29, Penrhyn issued a set of four stamps to commemorate the participa tion of Cook Islands in the XXIV Olym piad, Seoul, from September 17 to October 20. A miniature sheet was also issued on the same subjects. The Olympic stamps are: 55c running; 95c high jump; $1.25 shot put; $1.50 tennis.

Cook Islands also issued a set of four stamps and a miniature sheet on August 22 to commemorate the Cook Islands’ first participation in the Olympic Games: 70c running; 80c soccer; 95c basket ball; $1.40 tennis.

ON August 1 French Polynesia issued a stamp and miniature sheet to honour Syd pex. They feature the visit of the Russian explorer Krusenstern to the territory early in the 19th century.

TUVALU issued a set of four stamps on July 25 featuring fungi.

ON June 9 Western Samoa released a $3 souvenir sheet commemorating the cen tenary of the arrival of the Latter Day Saints in Samoa.

ON August 10 a set of four stamps and a miniature sheet were issued to note West ern Samoa’s participation in the Seoul Olympic Games: 15s running; 60s weight lifting; 80s boxing; $2 Olym pic stadium.

SOLOMON Islands issued a set of four stamps on July 7 to coincide with the 10th Anniversary of Independence: 22c the Capitana berthed at Estrella Bay; 55c raising of Union Jack in 1893; 80c High Court building with caption “To Head Is To Serve”; $1 traditional celebrations.

VANUATU celebrated Australia’s Bicen tenary on August 24 with a miniature sheet featuring tourist scenes together with the Expo ’BB logo and a map of Australia.

PAPUA New Guinea issued two stamps on July 30; one to celebrate Australia’s Bicen tenary and the other to commemorate Sydpex: 35t Sydpex (Papua New Guin ea’s first triangular stamp); 35t se-ten ant and miniature sheet featuring Bicentenary celebrations.

ON July 30, Norfolk Island issued a set of three stamps and a miniature sheet to cel ebrate Norfolk Island’s participation in Sydpex 88. The stamp featured commu nication links with Sydney.

THE Philatelic Bureau in Nauru is expe riencing great difficulties in serving its customers. From May 23 to July 7 it re ported that there were no scheduled air mail flights to or from Nauru, and no sign of any in the immediate future.

The Bureau apologises for delays in servicing customers and promises to clear the mail as soon as possible.

FIJI issued six stamps on August 29 fea turing ancient Fijian pottery: 99c a pre historic Lapita bowl; 23c cooking pot; 58c priest’s drinking vessel; 63c drinking vessel; 69c oil lamp; 75c cooking pot. □