PHILATELIC SOCIETY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 226, 24 August 1932, Page 8

PHILATELIC SOCIETY

The August meeting of the Manawatu Philatelic Society was held last evening, Mr C. T. Callis presiding. After the business had been disposed of, displays of British Colonial stamps were made by Mr Callis and Mr A. Spilman. A short article on the air mail stamps was read by the secretary. The design and printing of these stamps had been much criticised, but there a.ro two reasons for this, lie said. First, the plates were made by tho Royal Mint, which was inexperienced in stamp printing work; second, the printing in New Zealand had to bo done at very short notice. The plates arrived in Auckland on November 3on the Ruahine, on November 4 they were despatched urgently to the Stamp Printing Office, where they arrived on November 5. There was no time to make colour trials —the stamps were printed ready for distribution to offices on November 7, and officially placed on sale on November 10 in time for use on correspondence iaarried on tho special air mail flights of November 12, and 13. Copies were known to be date-stamp-ed November 9. The Government printing office are to be congra-tulatcd oil producing such a fine job at such short notice. Tho printings totalled_l2o, UUU stamps of each value 3d. 4d. 7d., the speaker added. , Mr Callis consented to givo a lecturetto at the next meeting of tho society.