Queensland 1895 1d Burelé band article

An article from the London Philatelist vol. 5, 1896, p. 53 on the 1d Burelé band issue. The face value for this sheet was 10 shillings.

QUEENSLAND-We reproduce some interesting information from the M. J., about the late surfeit of varieties in paper, printing, etc.:

"A correspondent in this Colony sends us some interesting information as to the causes of some of the numerous varieties that have been issued of late. Two or three years ago, when the finances of the Colony were not in a satisfactory condition, orders were given for economies of all kinds, and that all stocks should be kept as low as possible, and this was the reason for the proper paper first running short. Various samples of paper obtained locally were tried, but were not found to answer, and recourse was then had to the large Crown & Q paper, previously used for the higher value postage and for the Beer Duty stamps. This paper is thick and soft, it was found to absorb the gum, and the public complained that the stamps would not stick! The paper with a Burelé band on the back was then taken into use for the 1d. value, but this formed so distinct a mark that the public bought up the stamps for speculative purposes, and after the new penny appeared, on the proper paper, the Burelé pennies were sold on the spot at 30 shillings to 40 shillings per sheet of 120.

The same thing then happened with the 1/2d. value, except that the Burelé paper was tried first, and when there was a run upon this variety the Beer Duty paper was employed. But the public had learned a little Philately by this time, and the second lot disappeared as fast as the first had done. Lastly, the plain paper, with invisible embossing, was brought into use, and this appears to have stopped the speculation, for, as our correspondent tells us, the public saw nothing in these, and did not buy except for legitimate use.

Just before the new supply of paper arrived, the 1s. stamps ran short, and in order to prevent these (the supply printed provisionally?) being bought up by collectors, the precaution was taken of sending them to small towns only, where they would be asked for in limited quantities."

We do not think the above is any excuse for what must necessarily appear to be a mere money-making scheme on the part of the postal authorities and official speculators. Had either extra large quantities of the Beer Duty paper, or the paper with Burelé band, been issued, speculation would have been stopped. Freaks like this, in the best of our Colonial Post-offices, bear a bad impression both to the perpetrators and Philately