The 1921 To 1937 Period.

(contd from part v) 

Early in 1920, the Postmaster-General's Department reviewed the postage due series. Consideration was then given to re-issue of the various denominations in new color combinations and for this purpose a series of color trials were prepared at the Note and Stamp Printing Branch and submitted to the Department on 21st February, 1920. In these color trials all centres were brown and the frames shown in varying colors as follow:-

½d. blue-green, 1d. brownish red, 2d. grey, 3d. olive-green, 4d. orange, 5d. red-brown, 6d. blue, 10d. bright green, 1/- turquoise blue, 2/- deep brown, 5/- yellow, 10/- red violet and £1 dull blue.

However, the Department, after viewing the trial sheets and taking into account the additional printing costs which might be involved, decided that no color changes should be made.

In further reviewing the series it was decided, in May 1920, that because of the small current demand, the issue of postage due stamps of denominations above 1/- would be discontinued when existing stocks were exhausted. These high value stamps had, in fact, been in little demand from the time that they were first issued and considerable stocks were held.

Efforts were then made to increase the usage of the higher postage due values but with little success. In 1925, for instance, only two sheets of the ZI stamp were issued for the whole of Australia. Finally it was decided, in June 1927, that all supplies of 2/-, 5/-, 10/- and V postage due stamps should be recalled from post offices. This course was followed and the total accumulation of these stocks was destroyed later in the same year.

The type of watermarked paper earlier described, which had been in use for some time, became exhausted late in 1921. Thereafter, new printings of postage due stamps in denominations ranging from ½d. to 6d. were made on the Crown over A paper as used for the Kangaroo and Map postage stamp series (Fig. 16).

Due to large stocks of the earlier 1/- postage due stamp being on hand, no printings of this denomination on this class of paper were made. As the arrangement and spacing of the watermark device on this paper was designed for the narrower Kangaroo and Map stamps, it was not adjustable to the different size of the postage due stamp and, as a consequence, watermarks were rarely well centred. The initial group in this series comprised ½d., 1d., 2d., 3d., 4d. and 6d. stamps.

In November, 1924, a need was expressed for a postage due stamp of 1½d. denomination to meet unpaid postage surcharges found imposed on mail articles when received from overseas. The Stamp Printer was requested, on 24th November, 1924, to prepare the stamp, according with the design pattern of the series. The stamp was introduced into use in March, 1925.

Because of new postal rates which had been introduced into use from 1st October, 1923, there was little or no subsequent need for a 4d. postage due stamp and on 30th April, 1925, the Note Printing Branch was instructed to cease the printing of that denomination.

At the time considerable stocks of the stamps were held and their destruction was authorized on 10th June, 1925. Throughout the currency of the series, from 1921 to 1931, all stamps, with but one exception, mentioned subsequently, were perforated 14 X 14.

A further postal rates change, effective on 4th August, 1930, brought about a new requirement for a 4d. postage due stamp and when this was introduced, late in August, 1930, it was perforated 11 X 11.

Eighth Series, 1921 -30. (Fig. 15.)

Letterpress-printed on paper watermarked as Fig. 16. Shades of rose carmine and yellow-green.

(a)        Perf. 14 X 14     ½d., 1d., 1½d., 2d., 3d., 4d., 6d.

(b)        Perf. 11 X 11     4d.

Ninth Series.

During 1930, the Department decided to vary the specification for stamp paper by including the expression "C of A" beneath a crown as the watermark device, this to appear in an overall pattern.

This type of paper was first brought into use for contemporary postage stamps issued in 1931. Until the exhaustion of stocks, printings of postage due stamps were continued on the single Crown A paper earlier mentioned.

The first printings of postage due stamps on the new paper were made later in 1931, of 1d. and 2d. denominations only. Because of the stock position, subsequent printings of other denominations extended over several years and the series was not actually completed until 1936. Stamps of the initial 1d. and 2d. printings were perforated 14 X 14 but later printings of these, and all printings of the other values, were perforated 11 X 11.

Ninth Series, 1932-37. (Fig. 15.)

Letterpress-printed on paper watermarked as Fig. 17. Shades of carmine and yellow- green and green.

(a)        Perf. 14 X 14 : 1d., 2d.

(b)        Perf. 11 X 11 : ½d., 1d., 2d., 3d., 4d., 6d., 1/-.

Extracted from APO Philatelic Bulletin 69, December 1964