POSTAGE STAMPS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18237, 22 November 1924, Page 6

POSTAGE STAMPS.

EXHIBITION AND j CONGRESSES. j The third Australian and Now Zcaland Philatelic Exhibition attracted crowds to the Art Gallery yesterday. The display will be open for the last time from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. to-day. The third Australian and New Zealand Philatelic Congress concluded its session yesterday, Mr A. L. Chappell presiding. The committee set up to consider a reqnest by the Eeturned Soldiers' Association, that the Government should be asked to issue a set of stamps to commemorate the deeds of New Zealand soldiers in the Great War, submitted the following reasons for refusing to take the matter up:—(a) Congress considers that as it is now six years since the Armistice the time has passed for such an issue to be considered. (b) From a philatelic point of view it would be inadvisable to support such a proposal, for during the past years many Governments have issued commemorative stamps as a source of revenue, and these issues arc looked on by philatelists as unnecessary. For this reason every opportunity" has been taken to discourage, them. (c> If the issue were to be of benefit to' disabled soldiers,_ there may have been more support given to the recommendation., The reasons were adopted by Congress. Votes of thanks were, accorded the Christchurch Society of Arts, and Mr G. L. Donaldson. The Australian delegates, Messrs A. A. Blomely (Ballarat) and R. Sharpies (South Australia) expressed pleasure at the hospitality they had _ received. The chairman, in closing the conference, said: "I don't think you could find a keener philatelic brotherhood anywhere than the one that exists between Australian and Now Zealand delegates." He said that Australian collectors seemed to have a great admiration for Now Zealand stamps, and he was sorry New Zealand philatelists did not show more interest in the Australian issues.

The second Now Zealand Philatelic Congress then began its session. Present: Messrs A. L. Chappell (chairman), Dr. H. M. Prins, and Messrs E. J. G. Collins, F. W. Bicknell, E. G. Pileher, L. E. Vernazoni, A. W. Cousens, W. J. Walls and W. H. Hart.

Opening the congress, the chairman said the New Zealand Council had done a great deal for philately in New Zealand.

A motion expressing loyalty to King George was passed. Tho annual report of the Council stated that since that body was formed as a result of tho first New Zealand .Congress, it had been obliged to proceed with caution, care having been taken not to usurp any of the duties of the various societies. A register of New Zealand philatelists liad been compiled. There had been few cases in which it had been necessary to advise societies of the names of undesirable collectors, and only once in two years had the Council been called on to expose a fraud; The Council had assisted the formation of a junior society at Christchurch Boys' High School, and it was flourishing. The Manawatu Society'had been resuscitated. A large number of complaints had been received from collectors in New Zealand and abroad regarding unsatisfactory dealings, but in every case taken up, satisfaction was obtained.

The balance-sheet showed that the expenditure amounted to £l7 7s sd, and the receipts (balance from the first Congress £27 3s sd) to £3l 3s sd, leaving a credit balance of £l3 16s. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. On the motion of Mr Pilcher it was decided that the next Congress and Exhibition should be held in Dunedin, provided suitable arrangements could be made. The following reniits were passed: "That the New Zealand Government be requested to consider the advisability of issuing a pictorial set of stamps for the Dominion, when a new issue becomes necessary."

"That a national' reference collection be formed by affiliated societies, and that the New Zealand Government be asked to assist; such collection to be held in trust by the Philatelic Society of New Zealand."

It was resolved that the headquarters of the Philatelic Council should be located in Christchurch. Mr' A. L. Chappcll was elected president, Mr A. W. Cousens vice-president, and Mr B. J. G. Collins honorary secretary and treasurer.

Mr Collins reported that iia a result of research he had solved the problem of the paper supplied by the Union Bank to tho New Zealand Government in 1871, in which appeared a watermark in script letters. This paper had been used for printing some of tho issues of New* Zealand stamps bearing the full faco portrait of Queen Victoria. Mr Collins was thanked for his work.