Definitives for the South Pole
ALPINE FLOWERS FEATURED ALPINE
IJld'lh
will
f('dlLllt'
Till' stamps Vill'r (' dl'Slqlll'd bv E i1l'!'ll l\ld\lO, of ChI 1St· chLlrdl, who also clt'SllJlH'd 'hr'
fll"t (L1Y COVt'f.
\\'~~()
nestling amid the winter snow.
are mailed at Scott Base annu-
ally. About half of this is phil-
smallest
The New Zealand summer supply ship features on the 8
atelic - a great deal from Germany. Collectors in the United Kingdom, Sweden, France,
and
most far-flung
the Ross Dependency. This Post Office serves a summer population of about 50, dwindling to around 10 in winter. Keen interest in the defini·
tive stamps of the Dependency and in its postmark make Seott
Base Post Office comparatively
Ad,H'1'" \\','111'1010'1''''
r\,lIHV
·'.Lls·'um,
Today, 11.000 postal items
liest frontier-the South Poleis site of one of New Zealand's Post Offices at Scott Base in
In 111(' spPc1dl ISSlH' of four "1,Hnp.., to [w IsslIed on JUllt> 7.
,11
THE WORLD'S last and lone-
d
bOLl'll<.,1
DOfll1l11(1)
v,'rdld! lh •. '
<'1~ltl"Spokc wry hlghll;'
d,'
of tlll'm
one of the busiest administered
by the New Zealand Office.
Post
In January this year a new
set of Ross Dependency de-
pl-i'll, dnd d SP;'Cidl f~'\'III\(J for
finitives was issued to replace the popular set first released in 1957 and again with the values in decimal currency in
BotJnlsts will lJP dt' Ilqhu'd 10 St'f) them fi'dtclTt'd
1967. The first special issue of
rl,l~
"Eill'l'J1 d ~10()d
M<JYo
obvlOLJsly KlllW.,lt:dq>,' uf ,IH'St'
lh·'lll.
'''p
stamps for the Antarctic was
The' 10 et."'! 'lcl1np
ft'dIU!\'"
BUH""" \1(1'.11'\.1111 O,II"y, J','ll1,,1 Kdl>l,> for II', \'.'Ic!·'ly S~)p.1
111·
f.II.'cl d(,',j"
of growth
produced for the exploratory expeditions of Shackleton and Scott. This precedent was followed by the first New Zealand expedition to
111<'; fOU'lc! .11'1" 111 (H"d
N,>!-,o".
(1'1
lit
sOlnt' moulll-
thr'
f\!()1 llwlll
of till' South 1,,1,I'ld, ,l"d ~Ollth 111 OLH10,
d~dl'l fLH th~~1 il
(j1<;1,lncc which Illcludt'S ';(lInt' mill'S of moulltdll1 rdlHje
:-WO
Tht' 8 Cf~rl1 st<.imp deplch H,I,]"t'S Hut1t:1 c,q) NilJllCd after Sir Jullus von HddSt, d GpJmilll qeo!05J1ST ,me! explorel who came to New Zr~dldnd III
18~8, thiS
~Iilllt
qrow" In stec~ cIags 011 tIlt' SOllthpr n Alps. The single flOWI'r opells wldl'ly to give d burs! of gold. Hdd'-,t',> BUTtelcup glows only 111 cld9", J'ld Whlll' tlw S111911' flo~'\:er 15 the mo)! common, UIJ to four fIO~'\i('rs hdVl' lWI'll 11 ot ~'rl. The Nor1h Island EclclwL'I'-,S 15 fCdtured on the GCPl1t q,Hnp thJn the South tsldlld V;PI'-:t\-, thiS delicate flower I" found Ifl high mountains, dlld In Nplson cH the Nonht'In tiP of tl1>:' South Island, J5 well 35 In t~E' North Island. L,Hgl'T
Thl'
Black SCICt' (otul;) \,\/Illch fl'Jtures on the 4 cent "LlIllp WdS ndmed bec':HJsl' of It'., colour. It IS, howl'vel, Cl
the Antarctic
dependency in 1957, when the last definitives were issued. The siting of Scott Base in-
cluding the Post Office, proved difficult and the official opening did not take place till January 11, 1959, 26 months after Sir Edmund Hillary, the world renowned New Zealand conquerer of Everest, who led the expedition which set up
the base, had been appointed the first postmaster. Assistant Postmaster, A.S.
Helm opened the office in the first row of tents at Pram Poi nt on Ross Island between the edge of the ice and the future
site of the base buildings. Postmarking the mountain of mail was arduous. One diffi-
culty was that when the temperature dropped below a certain point, the ink did not give a good impression. Never-
theless the first mail left for Wellington aboard the Endeavour on March 11, 1957. Siting of the base two miles
from the U.S. Naval Camp simplified the receipt and dis· patch of mails, and so great
was the demand from U.S. personnel for the Ross Dependency stamps that on Jan-
uary 14, 1959, an
aircraft
"Pt'CIl.''-,
crate was placed on the ice alongside the Endeavour as a temporary post office to facilitate the sale of stamps.
The set '5 being prrntnl by H,IIIIS011 and Sons With the Ilthogli.Jphy process.
During the first 43 days Scott Base Post Office was open, $1,200 worth of stamps were sold.
ver\-
deep Wine and
'-,ldt'I,'d
IS
con
one of till' bb! of Ib
Japan and Hungary use the Scptt Base post office services.
Mail sent to the Soviet Base is also forwarded to Scott Base for cancellation. The new series of definitives comprises six stamps de-
signed by Mark Cleverley of Auckland. The 18 cent stamp depicts a tabular ice flow in colourful
deep blue, purple, black and white. The 10 cent shows the Antarctic night in dark green giving a background to the
paler buildings of Scott Base
cent, and against a background
of mauve sky and black rocks, Shackleton's Hut is shown on the 5 cent. Co-operation between the New Zealanders and their closest neighbours at McMurdo Sound - the Americans, is
symbolised in the 4 cent stamp which depicts an RNZAF Hercules landed on Williams Field. The final stamp in this issue, the 3 cent, depicts the Antarctic ~'<ua gull which features prominently in New Zea-
lander Graham Billing's novel of the South Pole "Forbush and the Penguins:'
•
Stamps for 1972
Current Plate Numbers
February 2
Vintage Cars - six stamps. April 5 A five stamp issue commemor-
atlOg: 200th Anniversary 01 the landing al the Bay of Islands ,,( the French explorer. Marion du
Fresne. l50th
Anniversary of
the
Unicef Antarctic: Gc, T208; 7c, T209.
Satellite: Bc, 111; lOc, 111.
Tokelau Definitives: lc, lA1A1A1A; 2c, lA1A1A lA; 3<:, lA1A1A1A1A; 50, lA lA lAl A;l Oc,lA lAl Al A;15o, lA1A1A1A; 2Oc, lA1A1A1A; 25o,lA1A1A1A.
Methodist Church in New Zealand. l00th Anniversary of Council
Government in Wanganui. 25th
AnniveJsary
National
Airways Corpofation. 10th
Asian· Oceanic Postal UntOn, June 7 Four stamps depictmg New Zealand Alpine plants. August 2 Two stamp Health issue featuring Boys and Girls playing tennis. October 4 Three stamp Christmas issue
Anniversary
featuring: An "Old Master" painting: A stained glass church window; A symbolic
design. December 6 Four stamps featuring New Zealand lake scenes.
THESE TWO panels are among 15 special Iy prepared by the Post Office Display Section for the 1972 INTERPEX Exhibition in N_ York.
THE
Health 1971: 4c, lA1A1A1A; 50, lA1A1A lA; Gc, lA1A1A1A.
PANEL
on
the left
features the One Ton Cup Yachting Series, held in N_ Zealand ...... for the fint time last y_. The two stamps ~~gned-by-.lwtteo
Berry and Geoff Fuller, were released on March 3.
THE PANEL at right depicts the two Chatham Islands Speciel Issue stamps. designed by Eilaan Mayo. of Christchurch. Main features on the stamps, the Chatham Island lily and Mollyrnawk, highlight the panel. N_ Zealand displays. conceived by the Post Office Di... play team headed by Paul Katene. of Wellington's Ngati Toe tribe, have been particularly successful at INTERPEX having been _ded two silver medals at past exhibitions.
Niue Portraits: 4c, lA1A1A1A1A; Gc, lA1A lA1A1A; 9c, lA1A1A1A1A; 14c, lA1A1A1A1A.
1970/71 Definitive (Sixth Release: 250, 11111, lA1A1A lA1A; 3Oc,llll,lA1A1A1A; 5Oc,1111.
1970/71 Definitives (Seventh Release): 23<:, 111.
New Zealand Xmas 1971: 3<:, lA1A1A1A, lB1B1B1B. 4c, lA1A1A1A1A, lOc, IA1A lA1A1A.
Lord Rutherford: lc, 111111, lA1A1A1A1A1A; 7c, 111111, lA1A1A1A1A1A.
Niue Xmas 1971: 3<:, lA1A1A1A, lB1B1B1B.
World Rose Convention: 2c, 111; 50,111; Bc, 111.
Anniversaries Commemorate~ TH E 1972 Anniversary Stamps due for release in April is one of the more stri king sets to be produced by the New Zealand Post Office. Designed by Mark Cleverley, of Auckland, the five stamps are highly colourful and use black and white for dramatic contrast. 3c This commemorates the lOOth Anniversary of Council Government in the City of Wanganui. In brilliant purple and grey the stamp features Wanganui's prominent Durie Hill Memorial Tower as a background to the City's crest picked out in its official colours of b1allkand blue. A strip of blue at the base of the stamp symbolises the river on which the city is built.
4c The 10th Anniversary of the Asian-Qceanic Postal Union. Predominantly burnt orange, the stamp features the union's symbol eight times to represent its eight member countries. Se The 25th Anniversary of
New Zealand's National Air· ways Corporation. Using the Airline's House colours it features the first aircraft used by the Company the De Havilland D.H. Dominie Biplane. Behind, in typical lanc!ing pose is the Boeing 737, latest aircraft to be added to the airline's fleet. Se The 200th Anniversary of
the landing of the French ex· plorer Marion Du Fresne in the Bay of Islands. Du Fresne's 22 gun frigate is silhouetted against a"n emerald sea and darker green forest separated by a strip of white depicting the Maori pal isade at Motorua. The explorer was the first to produce a documented record of a Maori Pa. He was killed for trespassing a Maori tapu. lOc The 150th Anniversary of the Methodist Church of New Zealand. This stamp features the stone cairn built by Maoris at Kaeo in North Auckland to commemorate the site of the first Methodist Mission set up in 1822. Background colours depict the general topography of the area.
DURING PRINTING of the Se Scarlet Parrot Fish Stamp in the 1970/71 Definitive issue, the printers, Harrison and Sons Limited, discovered some sheets on which the sheet value was inadvertently
printed as $12 instead of $1 0. Despite corrective action reports indicate one or two sheets with the value shown as $12.00 are in circulation.
* * '" THE 1957 Ross Dependency definitive stamp issue, was withdrawn from sale at Scott
Base and the Chief Post Offices, Well ington and
CURRENT STAMPS STAMP ISSUES currently available at the Philatelic Bureau, Wellington (mail orders) and the Philatelic Sales Sections, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch: N.Z. Fiscals (set $28.00) $4, $6, $8, $10. 1970n1 Definitives (set $5.37%) %c. 1c. 2c, 2%c, 30, 40, 5c, 6c, 7c, 7%c, Se, 1Oc, 1Se, 1Se, 2Oc, 230, 2Se, 3Oc, 5Oc, $1, $2. Nuie Definitives (set 82c) %c, 1c, 2c, 2%c. 30. Se. Se. 1Oc, 2Oc,3Oc. N.Z. Fiscals overprinted Niue
(set $3.50) 5Oc, $1. $2. Tokelau Definitives (set 81c) 1c, 2c, 30, Se, 1Oc. 1Se, 2Oc, 2Se. Government Life Insurance
(set 2Se) %c, 2%0. 30, 40, 1Se. Ross Dependency (set 27c) 2c, 30, 7c, 1Se. To be withdrawn June 30. 1971 Ro~ Dependency Definitives (set 4Se) 30. 40, Se, Se, 1Oc, 1Se. COMMEMORATIVES AND SPECIAL ISSUES To be withdrawn March 31. Chatham Islands (set 30) 1c, 2c, Country Women·s Instit-
utes/Rotary International (set 14cl 4c. 1Oc. One Ton Cup (set 1301 Se, Se. City Centenaries (set 12c) 30, 4c, Se. UNICEF/Antarctic Treaty (set 1301 6c, 7c. Satellite Earth Station (set 1Se) Se, 1Oc, Niue Birds (set 3Se) Se, 1Oc. 2Oc. TO BE WITHDRAWN JUNE 30. Health I~ue (set 1Sel 4c, Se, 6c. Also the 40 and Se
January
17.
the Philatelic Bureau, Private
Bag, Wellington (Mail Orders) and the Philatelic Sales Sect·
TO BE WITHDRAWN MARCH 31. 1973. World Rose Convention (set 1Se) 2c, Se, Se. Lord Rutherford (set Sel 1c, 7c. Vintage Cars (set 36c) 30. 4c, Se, 6c, Se, 1Oc.
ions, and
Auckland, Wellington Christchurch until
30 June 1972.
* * '"
Post Offices Opened & Closed (March - November 1971)
THE POST OFFICE has produced the standard "flag" first day cover in foolscap
size. It will sell at all post offices for 30.
Opened Avalon Chisnail wood Grants Braes Kawerau Mill
Maungaraki Pioneer Highway Pirimai
Rosehill St Lukes Upper Willis Street Waihi Beach South
Wellington Christchurch Dunedin Rotorua
Wellington Palmerston North Napier
Auckland Auckland Wellington Thames
October 18 November 11 August 16 September 6 November 8 September 29 July 5 July 19 September 23 November 15 May 31
Closed Cape Palliser Clearburn Cornwallis Denniston Kaimata
Mana Island Mititai
Onama LUll] Pakautane Parekura Bay Puketihi
ture sheets of six stamps of each denomination.
Waiatarua
1971 New Zealand Christmas (set 17c) 30, 4c, 1Oc. Niue
on
The old set (2c, 30, 7c and 1Se) will be available from
TO BE WITHDRAWN AUGUST 31. Niue Portraits (set 330) 4c, 6c. 90. 14c.
Rangitukia Rotorua South
stamps are available in minia-
Dunedin
Christmas "Old Master" 30.
Wainihinihi
Masterton
Oamaru Auckland Westport
New Plymouth Wellington Whangarei Blenheim
Westport Whangarei Hamilton Gisborne Rotorua
Auckland c,reymouth
August 31 November 12 September 30 September 30 August 13 September 3 August 25 May 31 September 21 July 14 May 21 March 2 June 21 July 29 November 12
* * '"
STAMP issues by member countries are described in full in the Universal Postal Union's monthly magazine "Union Postale", pubtished in seven languages. "Union Postale" also contains articles relating to postal services and recent articles
include: A Short History of Philately; The XVth Universal Postal Congress; Golden Jubilee of the Air Mail in Latin America; African and
Malagasy Postal and Tele· communications Union (A.M.
P.T.U.l Seminar; News from the I nternational Bureau of
the U.p.U.:New Postal Films. Annual subSCription is nine
Swiss
francs
payable
by
money order or a cheque drawn on a ban k in Switzer-
land. Subscriptions to: The International Bureau of Universal Postal Union, Berne, Switzerland.
•