"The answer to a query frequently asked about two Bahamas cancellations has been given by our member - Mr. S. G. Hoey - and may be of interest to others who collect this colony. Mr. Hoey writes as follows :
'The E.R.P. cancellation. The initials are those of Mr. E. R. Pashley, a former Comptroller of Customs at Nassau. There is virtually no direct taxation in the Bahamas and a very large part of the revenue of the colony is derived from customs dues levied on imports. A copy of every invoice together with a cheque for the amount of duty payable is sent to the bank, who then issue a clearance for the goods. I believe that in the early days when the amounts were small this work was dealt with by the Customs office and that stamps so cancelled are receipt stamps for the invoices or clearances. The cancellation has been seen on 2/- and 5/- stamps and it would be of interest to know whether it has been recorded on other values.
The J.H.P. cancellation : These initials are those of Mr. J. H. Peet who succeeded Mr. Pashley combining his duties with that of Postmaster. It is found on the values already mentioned and the canceller is identical in type with the E.R.P. except for the change in initials.'