STAMP EXHIBITION

Evening Star, Issue 19196, 12 March 1926, Page 11

STAMP EXHIBITION

OFFICIALLY OPENED YESTERDAY LARGE CROWDS ATTENDED The postage stamp exhibition wliich was opened yesterday afternoon at tho Art Gallery attracted very large crowds, particularly in the evening. There are many unique and historical exhibits, whilst several of tho specimens are real works of art. There is a magnificent collection of war stamps, wDicli is a feature of the exhibition. Tho committee responsible for the arrangements in connection with the exhibition are Messrs J. M‘Ara (chairman), C. T. Callis, B. Howard, IV. J. Walls, J. Pemberton, W. L. Hooper, M. Watt, A. Thomas, and M. Thomson, all of whom are indebted to Messrs L. Vornazoni, A. L. Chappell, and A. W. Cousens, of Christchurch, and E. G. Pilcher, of Wellington, for assistance given with arrangements and exhibits. The judges were Messrs E. G. Pilcher. R. L. Joyce,' A. L. Chappell, W. L. Hooper. 0. T. Callis, J. DPAra, R. J. G. Collins, L. E. Vernazoni, and M. N. Watt, CIVIC WELCOME. Cr W. B. Taverner (deputy-mayor), in the absence of His Worship, declared tho exhibition open, and also welcomed tho conference delegates to the city. Mr James DPAra (president of tho Dunedin Philatelists’ Club) presided, and expressed tho hope that visitors would find the display of great educational value. He believed that the exhibits would repay close examination. Cr Taverner said that ho supposed that 200 conferences had sat in Dunedin in recent mouths, hut he regarded the gathering of philatelists as specially noteworthy and tho exhibition ns something unique. Ho was not a stamp collector, but ho believed that the exhibition would ho of value from an educational point of view. He knew enough about the pastime to appreciate the fact that in few other enterprises was it so easy to imagine that one’s geese were swans as in the. collecting of stamps. He contrasted tho stamp issues of Chile with those of the Old Country. The latter had led tho way in such, reforms ns penny postage, “ and yet it hardly had a stamp that was worth looking at.” _ Ho supposed that the smaller countries _ had their eyes to business when they issued such beautiful They were not all Scotch in Dunedin, but most of them had ‘‘Scotch ways,” and he predicted that as a result of the exhibition all would be looking over their old correspondence and probably they would lie selling them stamps before they departed. He expressed regret that the display could not bo housed_ in the Exhibition Art Gallery, but this had been found impossible. 'Hie Chairman thanked Cr Taverner for his welcome, and added that he thought that he was a ‘_‘ dark horse ” as far as stamp collecting was concerned, and knew a good deal more about tho hobby than ho indicated at the beginning. ’ THE CONFERENCE. In connection with tho exhibition, the annual conference of delegates of New Zealand Philatetio Societies was hold yesterday afternoon. The chair was taken by Mr A. D. Chappell, Christchurch (president of tho New Zealand Philaletic Council). Tho following delegates were present;—Messrs L. E. Vernazoni, A. W. Cousens, AV. L. Hooper, B. Howard, S. Curtis, M. T. Spicrling, E. G. Pilcher, AV. Ferguson, M. Watt, J. Pemberton, ,J. M'Ara, and R. J. G. Collins (sccrhtary). Tho societies represented were; Dunedin, Christchurch, AVellington, "Wanganui. Manawatu, Auckland, and Don ha n k (Wei 1 ington). On tho motion of Mr Hooper (Dunedin) the following remit was carried:—“That tho conference notes with regret the fact that tho remit carried at tho second conference recommending that the exchange sheets between "Australia and New Zealand should be uniform in size had not been adopted by affiliated societies. This conference asks affiliated societies to adopt the recommendation.” Dir M. AA r att (A\ T anganui) moved—- “ That all senior societies should hold, at least once a year, a small exhibition of such a nature as to interest and instruct the man in the street and to stimulate and encourage tho junior members. ’ ’—Carried. On tho motion of Mr A T ernazoni (Christchurch) it was decided to instruct each society to approach tho member of Parliament for its district with a view to the formation of a national reference stamp collection, to bo placed in the Turnbull Library in AVellington. It was decided that the headquarters should remain in Christchurch, and the office-bearers for the enduing year wore re-elected. The location of the next conference was held over until the wishes of the Auckland Society had been ascertained.