CENTENNIAL STAMPS

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22768, 21 July 1939, Page 9

CENTENNIAL STAMPS

NEW ZEALAND ISSUE DESIGNS DESCRIBED Many phases of New Zealand’s history are represented In the set of centennial postage stamps to toe issued on JariUtaW 2. 1940, AH the stamps have borders of Maori ornamentation, or articles of ancient Maori usage. Illustrations of four of them appear in “The Press” to-day. . . The penny stamp depicts the rediscovery of New Zealand ny Captain Cook on October 7, 1769, The Endeavour, Cook’s chart of flew Zealand, and Cook himself are featured in the stamp. The centre is coloured chocolate and the border Is a bright rose. The’twopenny, stamp represents Abel Tasman’s discovery of New Zealand in 1642, Tasman appears on the left, his ship In the centre, and his route and chart of the West Coast on the right. The stamp, which, like the penny variety. was designed by Mr James Berry, of Wellington, is blue-green in the centre and the border is grey-brown. The twopence-haifpepny stamp, which was also designed by Mr Berry, , depicts, the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on February 6, 1840. A Maori chief is - ’shown making his mark, andother chiefs ana British officials surround hint. The stamp is printed with a brOnie-gteen centre and a royal blue border. : *. , A striking scene of a Maori orator at a council forms the basis of the sevenpenny stamp. A black centre and ‘a scarlet border are the colours used in sietissue. This is another of Mr Berry’s, designs. .The progress Of. gqldmining from 1861 is- illustrated in the ninepenny stamp. The left of the picture shows two old-time miners washing for gold w}th their crude implements; on the right is a modern gold dredge. A deep .olive green is the colour of the centre, and the border is an orange hue. Mr Berry was responsible for this design also. Four, st? mps to commemorate the 25 years ofNewZealand’s control of the mandated territory of Western Samoa are to be issued on August 29, The penny, and penny-halfpenny designs were prepared by Mr Berry and the twopence-balfpenny and sevenpenny desnms by Mr L. C. MitchelL also of Wellington. The designs are, respectively, a coastal scene, a map .of the portion of Samba under the control Of New Zealand, a Samoan dancing party, and a picture of Robert Louis Stevenson. The remaining Npw Zealand values issued were illustrated and described in "The Press" on Match 16 of this year. 1 '