Special Cook Islands Stamp Issue

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30794, 5 July 1965, Page 12

Special Cook Islands Stamp Issue

The Minister of- Island Territories, Mr Hanan, announced yesterday that a set of four special stamps will be issued by the Cook Islands Government to commemorate the attainment of internal self-government. The stamps will be on sale at Cook Islands post offices, the Chief Post Offices, Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington, and at the postal division. General Post Office, Wellington, on September 16.

The stamps have been printed by lithography by Messrs Bradbury, Wilkinson and Company, Ltd., London, and the denominations are 4d, lOd, Is, and Is 9d (3s lid a set). The words “Internal Self - government," “Cook Islands,” and the year, 1965, are printed on each denomination.

The 4d stamp was designed by Mr R. M. Conly, of Christchurch. The New Zealand ensign figures prominently in the centre of the stamp. The islands which form the Cook

group are named and appear to the right of the flag, and a map of New Zealand is shown on the left. The designs for the lOd and Is stamps were prepared by Mr L. C. Mitchell, of Wellington. The subject of the lOd stamp is an old London Missionary Society church surrounded by trees. The Is stamp depicts the scene on the occasion of the reading of the proclamation of cession on October 8, 1900. Superimposed on the lefthand side is a reproduction of a portrait of Queen Elizabeth 11. Mr J. Berry, of Wellington, designed the Is 9d stamp. The main subject is the Nikao School, set against a hilly background of trees and shrubs.