POSTAGE STAMPS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18235, 20 November 1924, Page 11

POSTAGE STAMPS.

INTERESTING RARITIES. • Romantic-histories are attached to many stamps on show at'the Australian and New Zealand Stamp .Exhibition being held at the Art Gallery. There, is one post-marked September.'6th, 1855, that went to "Crimea War area," and another fixed to a letter addressed, to "Mounganuie, ■ • Doubtless Bay," which came', to.lfow Zealand in- 1843. Valued at £BO, is the envelope," with special stamp, that was brought .from England", to Australia in 1919 by the late Sir Ross Smith and Sir Keith.Smith in the Viekers-Vimy aeroplane. This is the property of Mr H. L. White, a leading New.South Wales philatelist, who has staged among many valuable sets, the first sheets of. the Id, and 2d ''Kangaroo" stamps sold in Australia. The first stamp-': issued in -British Guiana- is an • outstanding rarity. It is valued at £250. Stamped "Ronicbuk Glacier Base Camp/' and post-marked is a letter, with official labels that' was sent away by a member, of the Mt. Everest Expedition. National' heroes are honoured in the "Lenin Memorial" stamp of the Bolsheviks,'and; the Fiume stamp with Gabriel d'Annunzio'.s portrait, on : 'it,; .white 'Hungary has deified: her", revolutionary poet Sandor Petofi, who was killed, iri'the Battle of • Schassburg in 1849, m a special issue. The. Greek's have issued Cen'bbnary stamps in memory of the death, in- 1824, .of'.' Lord Byron. The exhibition will bo; open t6-dav, to-morrow,, and' Saturday, from 10 aim. to 10.30 p.m.

.The Congress.. The'third 'Australian' •and New -Zealand. Philatelic Congress was continued yesterday, Mr'A.'.L.' Chappeli;presiding.- ...■■' ■ • The- following remits -.were passed: That in the opinion of- this -Congress it is considered desirable that the senior Society in the Dominion- should form a reference collection of . the stamps, postal stationery, etc., of that State, and that arrangements be made for an, interchange of pieces between different societies and different States. Also,, that for the furtherance ,of. the object ; aimed at,-it: is desirable .that tho societies concerned bhou Id •approeh the .Government printer or the Postal Department in each State, with, a'-view, to obtaining gifts of' postal stationery, etc.. for the collections; , . : That in view of- the benefits' that have accrued to phi lately hi New Zealand by tho formation -of tlie Is'ew Zealand Philatelic Council,'it be a, reeommoridation' to Australian, societies, that' they should investigate the possibility of forming an .Australian Philatelic Council similair in. its objects, and operations' to the' New Zealand Philatelic Council. ~_•-. That in the opinion of-this Congress lists"should' be .compiled arid kept^up to date of forgeries of Australian, New Zealand, *aud Pacific Islands stamps, and such lists should be sent to every Society affiliated to tho Congress. That.the senior society, in the Com-. monweaJth in each State of. the Commonwealth, and in the Dominion shouki tako tho' necessary steps ta compile a list of the outstanding rarities and rarer -varieties of ; the stamps-of its Own - particular country or State, and -of tho collections in which-they are known to be contained. "Mr A. W. Cousens read a paper en- ' i tied "A Criticism of the Selling on Exchange Sheets." He suggested that some system-ought- to be idopted whereby, at the end of the inancial year, an adjustment should be made of purchases iind sales: Those who sold more than 'tbey bought should be called, upon to. pay an extra.commission, which could bo; distributed pro rata among those whose purchases were in excess of their sales. On the motion of-Mr Collins, it was decided to se*nd copies of the paper to all affiliated societies. It was further resolved: "That in the opinion of this Congress; ' exchange superintendents should be assisted.' where necessary, by Yidilanco Committees." . Mr. Cousens moved that a sub-com-mittee should be apDointcd to drait and lav before Congress a scheme tor. the-insurance of exchange.books. He said that 'the'proposed protection.o.l collectors from loss by theft or fire was one of tho most important matters ever brought-before the Congress. Inquiries' had been mado abouL it, but unfortunately the ; insurance • rates quoted were very high.. _ ' A committee consisting.of Messrs W L Hooper R. Sharpies, E. Or. Pil'cher, and A.. W. Cousens, was set up to deal with the matter. ■ ■ A committee. consisting of -Messrs YV. L. Hoooer, A. W. Cousens, A. A. Blomely/and E. Pbilpott.Crowther (or Dr H. -M. Prins) was set up to device on a uniform system of running cN-chan"© branches- in regard to ; size of sheets, system of pricing, and exchange roles Generally. At the evening- session ■ t-ne committee set up to consider a scheme for inE urance of exchange books recommended that each society should institute without delay an insurance £nn'd to provide against the total or partial loss of any exchange book, while* 'in transit, by means of an initial grant and by regular contributions from its general funds'of, say, 1 per cent.'of the total value of books circulated during the year, such contributions to be

kept as ■ a separate fund. available .i; cash'at .any'time. The recommendation waa adopted.

Congress then judged the competitive essay on philately, for a trophy, valued at &5 ss, and placed.the competitors as. follow:—vMr.Bomney Gib-, bons. (Sydney), "The: Importance of Philatelic Literature,'' 1; Mr R.J. G. Collins' (Christchu'rch), "Th.e Penny Universal of New Zealand," 2. Other competitor's were : Messrs H. L. ' Chisholm (Wellington). and L. E.; Vernazoni (Christehureh). The chairman. . congratulated the placed men on their -work. Essays' by Messrs • "W. A. Hughes (London) and L. E. Vernazoni, who gained first and second places respectively in a competition . on "The Future'of Philately," were read, and it was decided' that .the .compositions should forni the basis of a practical means of encouraging junior collectors. Mr Collins emphasised the neodiof forming .collecting ..societieo in the schoolg and colleges. The Congress then adjourned' till' 2.30 p:m.: to-day. ■ ..'■'. •• - v ■•