Underpaid Instructional Marking 1919

[Malcolm Groom]

10 CTMS 1919001.jpg (357.27 KiB) Viewed 11705 times

The 10 CTMS marking on mail from Tasmania is common (over 70 examples recorded according to Patrick R) but I have not seen the marking shown in conjunction with that hand stamp on an underpaid letter from Hobart to Indiana posted 6 Nov. 1919. I have had the view expressed that it is not an Australian marking but this does not seem plausible as it would suggest that the USA (which is the only other place where it could have been applied) would have similar hand stamps for the myriad of other potential underpaid mail from all corners of the globe. Your thoughts please?

[Colin Salt]

Malcolm,

I am sure you are right about this being an Australian marking. I have a similar cover showing this handstamp.

I also have a Post Office notice 195mm x 400mm on canvas showing signs of being framed at one time, possibly hanging in a post office. It is too large to reproduce here but the wording is also recorded here for information.

[Ross Ewington]

If the 30 CTMS T h/s on Colin's cover was used at Hobart, can we now assume now that the instructional marking, more likely than not, was applied at the Hobart GPO?

[Hobbit123]

Only ten years before I noticed this one. Mail from Waratah would most likley have gone through Launceston., which had its own 39/CTMS/T, and I suspect that there might have been two of theese handstamps, one at Hobart and one at Launceston.

I would also comment that similar instructionals exist for the other States, but they are usually applied on the reverse of the cover.