Standing Orders
NO. 2
JUNE 1969
Clients are reminded that current issues of the Niue and Tokelau Islands stamps are available from the Philatelic Bureau, Post Office Headquarters, Wellington, New Zealand. As from I August 1969, these stamps will also be available on a standing order basis. Persons opening or holding a Deposit Account who wish to place a standing order for Niue and Tokelau Islands issues should inform the Bureau of their requirements.
NEW ISSUES FOR ISLAND TERRITORIES 1I"lh are belween 1,400 and 1,900 miles from New Zealand-approximately twice the dislance from London New York-and only appear as doIs Col a world map. The area of Niue is lOO square miles: the 3 tiny cordl atolls of lhe Tokelau group have a lotal area of 4 square miles. Their combined populalion is only aboul 6,800. BUI to philatelisls Niue and the Tokelau Islands will be a focus of attenlion this year.
10
A new definitive issue for Niue will be released later this year-the first newly-designed definitive series It will comprise 10 since 1950. stamps (tc to 30c), nine featuring flowers growing on Niue and the tenth a portrait of Her Majesty the Queen. This lalter stamp will be of special interest as Her Majesty released the portrait specifically for use on this stamp. Due to be released in August is a Tokelau 'Historical' set of four stamps. The denominations will be Se, IOc, 15c and 20c and the designs will feature a scroll with an inscription showing the year and the constitutional changes from 1877 to 1948 when the Islands became New Zealand territory. The Tokelau Islands' Administration themselves suggested the designs which although similar will vary in the inscription and colour for each stamp. This year a Christmas stamp will also be released on behalf of both Niue and Tokelau Islands. The design will be the same as the 1969 New Zealand Christmas issue. For Xita', the To/..c1ClIIS aud collectors, thes£' lalcst
lIeh'
('\'('111.\
i/l
issues H'ill be the 1I
mosl
in (cresting
phi/ale'/;c "'-'tury. Niue was annexed by Great Britain in 1900 and transferred to New Zealand by proclamation in 1901. The second Resident Agent at Niue, Mr. C. F. Maxwell of the Native Department, Auckland, was also appointed postmaster and when he took up his appointment he brought with him an advance supply of New Zealand stamps overprinted 'Niue' by hand with a rubber stamp. Owing to
irregular pressure on the handstamp some of the lelters are missing, and two of the most valuable specimens to survive have the overprint inverted and a double overprint. This first issue proved very popular with collectors although few were used by the Islanders.
f::]
10°5
TOKELAU
ISLANDS
e
NIUE NEW ZEALAND 40·S
~
(?
1800 W
Demand was sO great that a further three values were added to the set by surcharging New Zealand 3d, 6d and 1/- stamps with Niue equivalents. In the first printing of February 1963, comparison of the stamps with the proof sheet showed that a serious mistake had been made on the 1/-
stamp. Instead of TAHA E SILENI (3 words) the overprint was TAHAE SILENI (2 words) which translated meant "thief shilling" instead of one shilling. Before they could be withdrawn, 96 copies bad been sold from the Chief Post Office, Auckland. Today tbey are prized rarities. Other stamp sets issued at Niue bave been a pictorial set wbich appeared in 1920 simUltaneously at Niue, Rarotonga, Aitutaki and Penrbyn Island, followed by another set in 1932. The first pictorial set for Niue alone was issued in 195Q--48 years after the then Postmaster-General had expressed his opinion tbat a distinctive pictorial set should be created for Niue.
In the aCCOlWlS 0/ the T uJ...dall Islallds, 110 revenue appears from the sale 01 stamps right lip IIl1ti! the time the first distinctive stamps were issued. Ullti! the isslle 01 the td. Id alld 2d defillitive set all 22 Jlllle /948. ollly the Id stamp 01 Western Samoa was IIsed or needed. Several distinctive dalestamps used 011 covers cancelled {It the Take/ailS IlIIlSt be considered philatelic. Along with other Island Territories, a stamp with the design adapted from that of New Zealand was issued to mark the Queen's Coronation in 1953. Tokelau Islands Coronation Stamps were placed on sale at the four main centres in New Zealand on 25 May, and, due to a misunderstanding, .at Apia, Samoa, on 26 May. But air and surface mails to the Tokelaus were so irregular tbat the stamps were not on sale nor covers cancelled there until 16 June. The issue proved (Colltir/lled 011 lIext paf!,e)
Bi-centenary Celebrations Two exciting events for philatelists will take place in conjunction with the national celebrations for the bi-centenary of Cook's first voyage to New Zealand. COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE
..
, )\ special 'commemorative set of stamps IS to be Issued by the Post Office, together with a specially-designed first day cover. This issue will be more than usually interesting to collectors as the four stamps comprising the set will be available in a se-tenant block miniature sheet as well as singly. In addition to the normal first day of issue cancellation service at Chief Post Offices, special datestamps will be used at Gisbome (Cook's first landing place) and at New Plymouth where a national philatelic exhibition is being held. NATIONAL PHILATELIC EXHIBITION
. .
As well as providing a phIlatelic display, the Post Office will be donating the grand award for entries in the national philatelic exhibition (Tarapex), being held at New Plymouth from 6-11 October. A temporary post office is being provided at 'Tarapex' and a special datestamp will be used on the opening day, 6 October.
People who wish to have covers cancelled with this datestamp should forward their stamped addressed envelopes under cover to the Chief Postmaster, New Plymouth, with a request that the envelopes be cancelled "Tarapex, opening day".
Covers should reach the Chief Postmaster, New Plymouth, by I October.
ISSUES AVAILABLE
POST OrriCE DETAILS The following post offices have opened or closed since 31 June 1968:
Name
OPENED District Christchurch Auckland Christchurch Wanganui Thames Whangarei
Casebrook Opaheke Road Armagh East Town Hahei Beach Pataua Philatelic Bureau Budge Street Glenavon Green Haven Kaiti Kelston North Makarora West Maungaraki Selwyn Village Te Rapa University of Auckland Timaru Hospital Wainuioru Aratiatia Ngatapa Tarawera Tawanui Armstrongs Jerusalem Koroniti Matahiwi Landing Ranana Mataroa Otiria Wainui Karangarua Manakaiaua Ohautira
Wel1in~on
Blenhelm Auckland Christchurch Gisborne Auckland Dunedin Wellington Auckland Hamilton Auckland Timaru Masterton
Date 16- 9--{i8 14-10-68 16-12--{i8 2-12--{i8 16-12--{i8 2-12--{i8 16-12--{i8 3- 3--{i9 24- 2-69 27- 2--{i9 18- 2--{i9 17- 3--{i9 20- 1--{i9 2- 2--{i9 10- 2--{i9 17- 3-69 17- 2--{i9 17- 3-69 5- 3-69
CLOSED Rotorua Gisborne Napier Dunedin Christchurch Wanganui Wanganui Wanganui Wanganui Wanganui Whangarei Christchurch Greymouth Greymouth Hamilton
30- 9--{i8 18- 9--{i8 19- 7--{i8 30- 9--{i8 13-12--{i8 16-12--{i8 16-12--{i8 16-12-68 16-12--{i8 14- 2--{i9 14- 2--{i9 28- 2--{i9 28- 2--{i9 28- 2--{i9 14- 2--{i9
The following stamp issues are currently available at the Philatelic Bureau, Wellington, and the Philatelic Sales Sections, Auckland and Christchurch. Definitive Set (set $5.241c): le: le;2e; 2,e; 3e;4e: 5e:6e: 7e; 7,e: 8e: 10e; 15e: 20e: 25e; 28e: 30c: 50e: $1; $2. Commemoratives 50th
Island TerritoriesContinued popular, as 24,263 first day covers were handled in the Tokclau Post Office. The comparative rarity of their stamp issues is further cnhanced by
International
Centenary
New
Zealand
Low
Society (se1 3Ie): 3e: 10e; 18e. Centenary
University
of
Otogo
(set 13e): 30; 10e. New Zealand Fiscals (set $28.00): $4; $6: $8: $10. Tokelau Islands Pictorial (set 13c): le: 2e: 10e. N.Z. Fiscals Overprinted Tokelau (set 35c): 3e; Se: 7e; 20e. Niue Pictorial (set 82c): ,e: le; 2e: 2te; 3e: Se; 8e: 10e: 20e: 30c. N.Z. Fiscals Overprinted Niue (set $3.75): 25e: 50e: $1: $2. NZ. Government Life Overprint (set 231c): le: 2e; 2,e: 3e: Se: 10e. NZ. Government Life New Series (set 25c): ,e: 2,e: 3e: 4e; 15e. Ross Dependency (set 27c): 2e: 3e; 7e: 15e. ~~
the 'rarity' of postal services to Niue and the Tokclaus. Away from the main shipping lincs of the Pacific and geographically isolated, they have no regular means of communication. Trading steamers from New Zealand make more or less regular visits to Niue, and the Tokelaus arc visited
Anniversary
Labour Organisation: 7e.
~...,.....,.....,..~...,.....,..~
four times a year by the AOllill. The Government steamer M OGlla Ron calls occasionally at both Niue and the Tokelaus. For this reason there can sometimes be a long delay in returning first day covers to collectors.
HIGHEST SALES AT LOWEST TEMPERATURES If ever a competition was held to find the Post Office in the world which sold the highest percentage of its stamps to philately enthusiasts, it's an odds-on bet that the Scott Base Post Office would take first prize. As the southernmost post office in lhe world, Scott Base holds a keen fascination for philatelists, who write from many countries for Ross Dependency stamps cancelled with the Scott Base datestamp. From October last year to February this year, for example, the Base Office collected $1,728 from philatelic sales - not bad for a small community whose summer population rarely exceeds 40. In November alone more than 1,300 letters were received, 500 through the mail, a further 400 from Americans at the nearby McMurdo Sound Base and more than 300 from lravellers on Byrd Memorial flights over the North and South Poles. Part of the reason for this exceptionally high figure is thought to be an article on Ross Dependency stamps, illuslrated with photographs, published in a German national newspaper. Just on two-thirds of the lellers received through the mail were from German philatel ists. During the busy summer months Postmaster Brian Hool and two assistants man the tiny post office-but in winter. when the flow of mail ceases and radio becomes the Base's only link with the outside world, only Mr. Hool remains. The history of New Zealand stamps in the Antarctic also fascinates stud-
ents of philately. Of all the stamps issued in the world since the turn of the century, for instance, few would be as puzzling as the first stamp ever produced by the New Zealand Post Office for use in the Antarctic-the King Edward VII Land Issue. Not only were these 24,000 overprinted "Universal" stamps never used in the land for which they were intended, but there is no authentic record they were ever taken there. Pack ice stopped Lieutenant Ernest Shackleton from reaching his destination and he opened the first Antarctic branch of the New Zealand Post Office aboard ship. Later, on January 7 1909, he opened a branch on an inland plateau "in the sphere" of King Edward VII Land-but he never reached the territory.
Shackleton, as New Zealand's first postmaster on the great ice shelf, began a tradition that party or expedition leaders became part-time postmasters. Notable among these were Robert Falcon Scoll, Sir Edmund Hillary and author Adrian Hayter. It was not, in fact, till 1967 that a permanent post office was set up at Scoll Base and Mr. George Edlin, previously a radio operator at Awarua Station, was appointed first full-time postmaster. A special set of stamps and souvenir covers marked New Zealand's first expedition to the Antarctic, and, of course, the opening of the Sectt Base branch. A number of special datestamps have been used at the Seott Base Post Office since it opened in 1957. A special datestamp used in January 1958 commemorated the crossing of the Antarctic continent by a British party in 1908; another, four years later, also celebrated a 50th anniversary, this time of Scotl's polar journey. The visit to the Antarctic in 1963 of Sir Bernard Fergusson, the then Governor-General of New Zealand, was the occasion for another special datestamp. Recent datestamps have marked the first IQ years' existence of Scott Base and the change in 1967 to decimal currency.
u.P.u. Journal "Union Postale" is the monthly magazine published in seven languages by the Universal Postal Union. I n addition to information on stamp issues by member countries the magazine contains many articles relating to postal services. Some recent articles include the demand and service standards of the postal service, postal mechanisation, InterLetter Writing national Week, and notes from the I nternational Professional Press. Information on new postal films is also included. The annual subscription is nine Swiss francs payable by money order or a cheque drawn on a bank in Switzerland. Subscriptions should be addressed to the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union, Berne, Switzerland.
• The New Zealand Governor-General, Sir Arthur Porritt, signing philatelic mail to be sent from Scott Base Post Office.
. Plate Numben For the benefit of philatelists. listed below are the plate numbers fur recent stamp issues. 5Ot,h AnnIvenary InterDatfonal Labour OrpnIsatlon:
. lA
lA
To obtain the plate number and. printer's imprint a minimum of 10 stamps must be purchased.
Government Ufe IDsuranc:e Issue: ic-l I I; lA lA lA 2ic-1 I; lA lA . 3c-1 I; lA lA 4c-1 I; lA lA. 15c-1 I I; lA lA lA To obtain the plate number and printer's imprint a minimum of '10 stamPs of the ic. 2ic. 3c and 4c ues and 6 stamps or JbeJ5l: . file lYUBt be purCljasoo. .
EXHIBITION POST OFFICE A temporary post office will be provided at a trade exhibition to be held in the Winter Show Building, Wellington, from 21 August - 6 September 1969. The steel datestamp in use at the post office will read "Buy New Zealand '69 Exhibition, Wellington". People who wish to have covers cancelled at the temporary post office should forward their stamped addressed envelopes under cover to reach the Chief Postmaster, Wellington, by 4 September, with a request that the enve- ~ lopes be cancelled "Buy New Zealand '69 Exhibition". ~~~~~~~~~~~
DESIGNS FOR 1970 DEFINITIVES
•
POSTSCRIPTS A new design for standard first day covers has been Introduced by the Post Office. The Post Office crest on the present cover has been replaced by a map of New Zealand and the New Zealand flag. The new covers are being introduced at all post offices as stocks of the present cover are exhausted. The price of 2c per cover remains unchanged. Current issues of United alions stamps are now on sale at the Philatelic Sales Sections. Chief Post Offices, Auckland and Christchurch. They were previously on sale only at the Philatelic Bureau, Wellington. This service is for New Zealand clients only. Overseas customers should purchase their requirements from the United Nations Administration.
The 1969 Christmas stamp will continue the series of re· productions of famous paint. ings by old masters. This year's design features a reproduction of the painting "Nativity" by Federico Fiori, the original of which hangs in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana,
Milan. The denomination is 2!c and the stamp will be issued on 1 October.
Mr. Earl Hingston, one of the designers for the 1970 definitive Issue, at work in his Wellington studio. Latest reports indicate that work on designs for the 1970 definitive issue is progressing satisfactorily. Themes selected for the designs are butterflies and moths, seashells and fish, Maori artifacts, National Parks, national development (including New Zealand's contribution to Engineering and Technology) and a special design comprising the New Zealand Coat of Arms and a portrait of Her Majesty the Queen. Designs which have already been submitted to the Stamp Advisory Committee give every indication that the series will be of a high standard. For this series the stamps will be in two sizes only. The small stamp will be the same size as the current 3c definitive and the larger will have twice the area of the smaller. Interest in this new issue is widespread and further information will be published in the next Bulletin.
~k'-....jor---.._ _riAiiol""""-the
",ea .t tire PhLterlC Bu~ •• been necessit.ted by the·.inttOGuction of the Depo.it Account Service for collectors. . The unprecedented deni.nd for the ew Govern",ent life In.ur.nce stamps, iclosely followed by the N_ Ze.land ILaw Society commemorative Issue, taxed ithe Bureau'. facilitle. to the utmost. Delays unfortunately occurred In the .ervlcln9 of orders. It i. anticipated that when the re·or9ani.ation ha. fully taken effect, these Clelays will be eliminated and prompt lservice 9iven to all clients. The Deposit Account Service Is provift9 on unqualified succ....nd the number of collectors availift9 themselves pf this convenient method of orderin9 stamps continues to 9row daily. An application form for this service may be obtained by writln9 to the Philatelic Bureau, Post omce He.dquarters, Wellin9ton.
Demand has been high for the new issue of Government Life Insurance stamps, on sale since the end of March. In!c, 2k, 3c, 4c and 15c denominations, the stamps feature well-known New Zealand lighthouses. 1969 is the centenary of the founding of the Government Life Insurance Office. The stamps can be used for postage only by the Government Life Office but may be purchased by collectors from the Philatelic Bureau, Post Office Headquarters Wellington. '
Overseas clients are reminded that remittances must be forwarded by INTERNATIONAL MONEY ORDER, BANK DRAFf or BRITISH POSTAL ORDER. It Is regretted that personal cheques cannot be accepted.