POSTAGE STAMPS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18234, 19 November 1924, Page 11

POSTAGE STAMPS.

THE'CONFERENCE.

EXHIBITION OPENED.

■The .third. Austral!.".n and: New' Zealand Philatelic Exhibition', and Congress was opened at the Art Gallery yesterday afternoon..

.'Mr A. L.'Ghanpoil, president of the Christchurch Philatelic Society,, which, organised the display, explained, .the objects of the exhibition. ,Ho it was not to. display.the world's rarest stamps, but to show.the scope.of collecting and .something of the pleasure which it brought to devotees. '" Select tions from the albums of English, Australian '.ind Sew ' Zealand collectors were on view, and, generally speaking, the Dominion .people; had held their own in the competitions. The championship had.boon'•won by an Auckland jady, which showed that .a- pleasant field of labour was, opened ,np for the f-;:'ir- jc-x, if their domestic, duties allowed them time.-' The exhibition was free, but an art union was being run to help defray the expenses. A previous exhibition had been held in.- -Wellington, but the present one was more, important. ' If anyone wished to find "outsomething about the stamps, the-. members of the committee would help them. Ho introduced the Mayor (Mr J. A. Flesher). ...

Mr Flesher expreeied pleasure <it having been asked to open the show, and said Christchurch people felt it an honour to have the third Australian «n(l New Zealand exhibition-here. On behalf of the citizens he wished to welcome the visitors from overseas. Personally he knew little about the hobby of collecting. It was- not threequarters of a century .-bid yet, but it End made a big hold on all sections of the community.- It arosa out of the iss'iine of penny postare stamps- in IS4O, but did not come into vogue until fifteen years- hiter. It was. a most fascinating hobby" arid everyone was .the 'better for' hayine a hobby. A Philatelic Society wasformedinLondon in 1869 and since then its-"ramification's had snread all over the world. -The lure of collecting was felt by'all' ranks from the King ' of England to the office boy.- and all found it a great sourco of pleasure or profit. The beauty of form and colour displayed by. some issues; including eiirly NewZealand issues, were remarkable. Philately was also a means of inculcating a knowledge of history, and geography. "Stamps." he said,' "may mark the rise and fall of Empires and recall the greatest'events in the history of a nation." King George V., he believed, was an enthusiastic. philatelist with one of the best, collections of British stamps to be found anywhere. The King ,had.said in a letter to a friend that philately, was one of the greatest pleasures of his- life. Philately was adaptable to all,pockets and tastes, and : the field 'of'.'collecting was spread over 300 countries. He commenJed tho Christcli'iire'h Society on its enterprise and wished it' every success: . '.; ■ .••■•■•'

Tho exhibition, which will lie ofen from' 10 a.m. till 10.30 p;m. daily till Saturday, contains many - rare and beautiful issues that-, should interest people-who have never collected. . The totnl value of 'the exhibits is. estimated at £35 000../ •■:'■'

The championship has been awarded to Mrs Kenderdine- for. her collection of the -stamps bf New Zealand. Covering the extensive period from 1855 to the present day,' the" completo and comprehensive, nature of this entry is somewhat remarkable. The early issues—the over-popular ' "full-faces" —are strongly represented; 'and ■" not many of tho standard ' varieties are missing. The later issues are. a.particularly, fine Jot; and include the greater numlier of the known varieties. The rare exhibits. include', a block of SO 2d vermilion.---js'sno of .1872,.; valued at' £250: *ii. pair., of the first 'stamp ;bf 1855 valued at :,,£75. and a v splendid print (>f"the four .penny "error :of colour'' (1579), which is catalogued at £250. '.- ' 7 ~,..- ■'.•.•'■ Mr. A. E. .Fryer's South Australiancollection, .which, besides, being, awarded the gold medal -in Division 6, was a close runner-up- for the championship, -is one of, the: finest,.collections ever exhibited in New Zealand. The condition of' the 'stamps is • exceedingly' fine, and tlie annotation ,neat and effective. Many.'- of" the the outstanding varieties of these stamps''are included. Practically all of the countries in the world aro represented, there are-stamps from Tibet, Cook -Islaaids, the Irish" Free State, Chile;, Turkey, Bosnia, stamps of fine form -and''colour, freak stamps,- and stamps that represent' national crises.-., < . . - In the single .issue, specialised collection, J, S. ,Allington, Seafield, 'was second, not J. C. Allington, As-hburtou, as stated in.yesterday's list of awards.

The Australian ;and. New Zealaaid Philatelic Congress commencod its session last night.' Present: Messrs A. L. Chappoll, chairman (Ghristchurch and Aucklaaid : Societies), E. G. Pilcher, deputy-chairman (New Zealand Society), A. W. Cousens and L. E. Veraazoni (Christchureh), A. A. Blomely '-(Queensland, Ballarafc, Melbourne, Praliran), P.R. J:u>kson(Prahran), A.. McAra, and-J: Peniberton (Dunedin), H. ]>. Roberts and J. Pottiniger OVahganui),. R. Sharpies (South Australia), Peers (Melbourne, T. T. Gough (Tasmania), .11: J.. G. Collins (Manawatu), W. Hart (Doribank), l' 1 . NV. Biokiiell . (New .Zealand Society), W. L. Hooper (Queensland), and R. Holdgaie (Gisborne). Betoro the conference business was commenced ""the following resolution was passed:—"That the delegates and visitors'to the Congress respectfully requests his' Excellency the GovernorGeneral to convey to his Most Gracious Majesty King George V. their expressions of loyalty and appreciation of his interest in philately." Tho chairman extended a welcome to the delegates,' and thanked those who bad-helped in the preparations,of the: exhibition. 'The .exhibition,, he said, ■was to help philatelists, and to stimulate interest lit the hobby. »It included somo very fine examples of mounting ond annotating. Ail would agreo that a grounding in general collecting was necessary to the philatelist. At present there was a tendency to specia- • lise too early and to take up tho bypaths of ■ collecting. There' was also ts. need for a study of tho printing of stamps; every advanced philatelist should know how stamps, were produced.. Societies should do more research work in the; staemps of their own. particular coun-l tries. ... • .. ' '". ' " "■ . "". . i

His Honour "Mr Justice HT Motit-i gonierie Hamilton, of Sydney, attended' and was welcomed ■ <is a distinguished; philatelist by the chairman. It was decided -that his Honour should be associated with 'the Congress.

:■' Eemits. A remit from the Christchurcb Societv asked that a gold'medal should; be awarded ?-t 'each Congress for the best article embodying philatelic . research written since the preceding Congress, the. field- of competition . to' be limited to members ..-of Australian:: and: New Zealand societies,.-; Mr. Vernazoni, in bring .the., remit forward, emphasised the benefits that.-would re-: suit if collectors'; encourajjjd to put accounts of their'resarcies ort paper. The chairman-said that the Congress should advise societies ,to offer trophies for articles on research work. The remit was carried with the words ( 'or other .suitable trophy' ' added. !The other remits were; held orer until to-day. as the Australian delegates wished to consider thea, ...