Protest stamp sells well

Press, 30 May 1981, Page 5

Protest stamp sells well

A stamp issued by ‘‘the Independent State of Aramoana: ’ as a protest against the building of the proposed aluminium smelter at' Aramoana has been selling well since its first day of issue, May- 8. Many orders for the stamp havc been received at the Aramoana Philatelic Centre in Christchurch, according to Campaign Power Poll. A spokesman for the group said that stamp 'dealers throughout. New Zealand were placing substantial orders for the "Cinderella’’ stamps (they • can be used onlv as stickers). A surprising feature of the orders has been a strong interest shown by dealers from Invercargill and

Dunedin. Orders have also been received from overseas. Most orders so far have., been for the first-day covers bearing an Aramoana dale stamp. Some interest has also been shown in the miniature sheets.

At the present rate of sale the organisers of the philatelic Centre, from Campaign Power Poll, believe that their stocks will be exhausted in two or three months.

The stamp features a painting of a bittern in flight by the well known artist, lion Binney. The permission of the artist and of the National Gallery, which owns the painting, was secured to allow the picture to be reproduced on. the stamps.