MANY STAMPS BURNED

Southland Times, Issue 19346, 11 September 1924, Page 11

MANY STAMPS BURNED

OLD LAW DOCUMENTS. CHRISTCHURCH CLEARANCE. THE EARLY DAYS RECALLED. What a philatelist would no doubt have considered a sad sight and also great waste, was seen at Christchurch the other day, when stamps of a face value running into many thousands of pounds were committed to the City Council destructor. In order that no single stamp should escape, a conscientious official stood by until every one had completely disappeared. The officials of the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court had been authorised to destroy all civil documents of an earlier date than 1903, and they were gladly undertaking the task of doing it, gladly because it enabled them to get rid of the vast accumulation of papers that had been piling up since the Court was first opened until the year 1903. In all three huge lorry loads of paper were removed to the destructor. Some particulars in respect of the documents prove interesting. In the early days of the Magistrate’s Court the summonses and judgment forms were similar to those in use to-day, but no plaint notes were used, these not being introduced until about 1879. Up to that time all amounts paid into Court by way of fines were in cash, and they were entered up in a judgment book, being paid into the law trust account. About 1882 stamps were used for the first time. Approximately the size of present postage stamps, they were known as “Law Court” stamps, having that name at the top of a crown, beneath which was the denomination with the name ,r New Zealand” at the bottom. The size, however, was unsatisfactory, and probably for this among other reasons they were superseded by the present adhesive stamps which are used for other purposes as well as of the Court. Apropos of adhesive stamps, there are two in the books of the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court representing £15,000, the denomination of one being £BOOO and of the other £7OOO. Both were specially printed for the purposes for which they were required.