Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld),
Monday 8 August 1904, page 2
Uniform Postage
Stamps
The Federal Government are duly considering the expediency or otherwise
of having for all Australia a uniform postage stamp. It is certain that not a
few individuals may favour the old system; every chimney must consume its own
smoke; every State must have its own postage stamp. To Queensland there would
at first be a real, and afterwards an apparent, advantage in having a uniform
stamp. If such a stamp could he had it would be most extensively used in
exchange. Many persons here buy objects of small value, in Sydney or Melbourne;
not so many persons down that way, buy such objects here. Small sums, either
way, would be sent in stamps. The advantage would be with us as to revenue if
not as to trade. But on the whole case the Federal Government, should make a
note. At present, for inartistic postage stamps, Australia takes the cake. She
ought to have a stamp that is a good advertisement of the country. Whether she
will get such a stamp depends on circumstances; and, sometimes, circumstances
alter cases. It is reported that in connection with the proposed issue of
uniform postage stamps, the question has arisen whether they should be printed
from electrotypes or whether designs should be engraved on the steel head of
the stamp. The printing office in Adelaide has reported that impressions from
electrotypes are quite good enough, and it will not be necessary to import
steel dies from England. If this is the whole of the story, the situation is
not most promising. It is not the whole of the story, but at present, the
remainder of it has not yet become history. The remark that, "impressions
from electrotypes are quite good enough" suggests to a novice that the
Federal Government may be led to become economical; but the "quite good
enough" suggests a remark about things "cheap and nasty." A
thing is good enough only when it fully answers the purpose.
