The Hals / Collas book, The New Hebrides – their postal history and postage stamps, which was published in 1967, is still the best reference text for information concerning the postage stamps of this territory. However, it lacks important information about postal rates, postmarks and registration cachets / labels. The description of these topics in the book is sparse before 1967 and of course missing for the period from 1967 leading to Independence in 1980.

The 1995 cancellation study by Philips, Crompton and Holland, which was published by the Pacific Islands Study Circle, has been very valuable but is now out-of-date. Not only has new information emerged since 1995, but the use of computer technology has enabled several uncertainties to be resolved.

There has been no thorough investigation of the postal rates used in this territory and this has left collectors unsure of the status of covers and postcards in their collections. The Proud book, The postal history of the Gilbert and Ellis Islands and New Hebrides, has incomplete information and includes several errors.

This situation encouraged Malcolm Goyns and myself to bring together our many years of research in these areas and write a book that we hope will be of interest and value to fellow collectors of New Hebrides postal history.

It has been published now with the following data: