“ Smithy’s ” Trans-Tasman Flights

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 99, 30 April 1935, Page 7

“ Smithy’s ” Trans-Tasman Flights

CONVEYANCE OF MAILS United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Monday, 7.50 p.m. SYDNEY, April 29. Iu announcing that special Jubilee air-mails will be flown between Australia and New Zealand by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, leaving Sydney probably on May 15, the Director of Posts and Telegraphs said the Government considered it would be au unusual method whereby the Post Office could commemorate the Jubilee.

N.Z. Air-mail Stamps NEW SET TO BE USED ON TASMAN FLIGHT. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 29. A new set of New Zealand air-mail stamps will be used for the first time in connection with the King’s Silver Jubilee trans-Tasman flight by tho "Southern Cross,” piloted by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. There arc three, valued namely Id, 3d, and 6d, and the same design is used throughout tho series drawn by Mr. J. Berry, Wellington, from suggestions made by the Post and Telegraph Department. It depicts an interesting blending of ancient and modern. The main scheme is shown )>' the lettering on tho stamp as "A New Zealand air-mail terminal.” A large aeroplane is about to land and tl ere is a smaller one outside a hangar near a motor-car. In tlic distanco is a snowcapped mountain and a forest. On the left, standing under a cabbage palm, is a Maori in full war dress who is watching this modern innovation. The stamps are reproduced by the intaglio line engraving process from

plates prepared by the Commonwealth Government stamp printer. The engraving is particularly fine and the uso of a magnifying glass will reveal additional details. Tho printing is being done by the New Zealand Government printer and the 'Colour of the penny denomination is the carmine of tho sixpenny value of tho King George issue; the threepenny air-inail stamp is in the purple used for the fourpenny King George; and the sixpenny is reproduced in the blue of the fivepenny King George. To enable Australians to secure souvenir letters of the double flight, supplies of the New Zealand airmail stamps arc being sent to Sydney and Melbourne this week. The air-mail postage to Australia is 7d for half an ounce.