NEW CENTENNIAL STAMPS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 169, 20 July 1939, Page 11

NEW CENTENNIAL STAMPS

DIES NOW COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE TO BE ON SALE IN JANUARY NEXT i Per Press Association.) July 18. The work u£ engraving dies for the Centennial postage stamp issue had now been completed, said the Post-master-General, Hon. F. Jones, tonight. The final live denominations were designed by Mr. J4jnes Berry ot The Dominion, Wellington. Of the 12 stamps of the set, Berry designed nine, the Jd, lid, 2d, 2id, sd, 6d, 7d, and 9d denominations. Mr. L. C. Mitchell also of Wellington, designed the remaining three, the id. 3d. and 4d stamps. The penny stamp features Captain James Cook’s re-discovery of New Zealand in 1769 and has embodied in its design a representation of Cook* ship, the bark Endeavour, a reproduction of the chart of New Zealand prepared by Captain Cook in 1769 and a reproduction of the figure of Captain Cook from the statue executed in bronze by Sir Thomas Brock, K.C. B.R.A. Appropriate to the historical theme, the period spelling of the worn bark has been used in the stamp. The 2d denomination commemorates Abel Tasman. The centre panel shows Tasman’s ship, “Heemskerk,” and the third panel Ls an exact reproduction oi Tasman’s original chart of. the west coast of New Zealand. Tlie 2£d denomination marks thesigning of the Treaty of Waitang . on February 6, 1840. The conception o» the signing is reproduced from the bas relief on the monument of the late Queen Victoria in Cambridge Terrace, Wellington. Featuring a Maori Council assembled before tlie meeting house, tjie 7d denomination marks tne impoit anc.2 of Maori contributions to Polynesian culture- and the importance oi the council as a unit in the Maori social organisation. Tlie period of gold mining and development of the industry ai < featured in the 9d denomination. The sub ject is treated in a two-panel design showing on the left two miners wojking by the early method with pan and shovel. On the right the great development in method is portrayed by the reproduction of a dredge of a most up-to-date type working in New Zealand. 'i he colours in which the stamps will be issued are id, deep green; Ig, ch c late c. litre with bright rose border; Ibl, blue centre and violc border; 2d, blue-green centre and grey-brown border; 2id, bronze green <: ntre, royal blue border; 3d, dull purple centre, petunia border; 4u, chocolate centre, violet border; fid, pale blue centre, brown border; 61, bright green centre, mauve border; 70. black' centre, scarlet border; 9d, deep olive green centre, orange boruer; Is, centre of pale olive green border grey-black. The centennial stamps will be on sale at all post offices in New Zea lam* on January 2, 1940, and will remain on sale for approximately one year.