“‘Postage stamps valued at One Shilling, Six Pence, and Three Pence have been procured from Trelayney Saunders, Esq., stationer, of London, and supplied to stationers, postmasters, merchants, and others at a discount of 5 per cent. allowed on sums of £5 and upwards. During the past year there have been issued from my office postage stamps to the value of £355 2s. 6d. This is a much smaller circulation than was anticipated at the time of their introduction into the provinces, the public generally, I apprehend, not yet clearly understanding their use, nor appreciating their advantages.
“‘They are deposited with the Receiver-General for safe keeping, from whom I procure them when a supply is needed. Application has been made for One Penny stamps, which are expected to arrive shortly.’
“Then taking the Report for January 5th, 1852, I find among the accounts of the Post Office Department for the quarter ending the 5th January, 1852, the following issues:
| “‘By amount of postage stamps on hand | £100 | ||||
| By amount due Receiver-General for postage stamps | 100 | ||||
| Consisting of | 3 | penny | to value of | £52 | |
| ” ” | 6 | ” | ” | 24 | |
| ” ” | 1 | shilling | ” | 24’ | |
“Also in same Report accounts for quarter ending 5th October, 1851.
| “‘By amount of postage stamps | £100 |
| Cash paid to Hon. Jos. Howe, being amount remitted by him to Trelayney Saunders, Esq., for postage stamps for Nova Scotia | £221 14s. 8d.’ |
“These extracts from Postmaster General’s Reports and from Post Office Department Accounts will positively decide the question as to date of issue.
“The Three Penny, Six Penny, and One Shilling were, I should think, issued to the public in the second quarter of 1851; and the One Penny were probably put out about the last part of 1853.
“In the same Reports I also found the following:
“‘To remedy to some extent the serious inconvenience said to be experienced by merchants and others in consequence of there being no Seven and One Halfpenny currency postage stamp, by which parties who feel desirous could thus prepay their letters to England, and not wishing to put the province to any further expense in having another ‘die’ prepared, I considered it expedient to allow half stamps to be used with those now in use, to obviate the want of accommodation complained of; and a circular was accordingly forwarded to my deputies, and a notice issued to the public, to the effect that letters could be prepaid to England by stamps by parties using a Six Pence or two Three Penny stamps together with half a Three Penny stamp. The Three Penny stamp to be cut diagonally, and the Half to be equivalent to 1½d. The Three Penny stamp alone to be used for that purpose.’