PHILATELIC SOCIETY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1438, 13 May 1912, Page 9

PHILATELIC SOCIETY.

Fifteen members attended tho sixth monthly meeting of the Wellington Junior Philharmonic Society at 'JO Hill Street last Friday evening. Nine new members were elected, bringing the total up to 51, among them being Messrs. li G. Pitcher, C. H. Osmond, mid Mr. Courteney-Sinith, of Sydney. Notwithstanding the school holidays, ten college boys were present helping as they always do to make a jolly and lively meeting. The feature of the evening was Island stamps. Mr. W. Ferguson's collection of Hawaiian Islands contained two specimen stamps of King Kamehameha 111, who reigned in ISM, ■ followed by a series of portraits-in-miuiatiire of .succeed- ■ ing monarchs, princes, and dusky princesses of the Royal Hawaiian Household until the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893, when these stamps were over-printed. "Provisional Government" until the new republic brought out a 'pictorial isaiie in 1891. In 1898 the Islands were annexed by America, and the colours of tho lastissue were changed. Air. Grenfell took the gathering to Samoa and Tonga, and Muster P..,1v. lirvau had a nearlv-compieto collection of 'Solomon Islands, the first issue of this country being very difficult to obtain. At !) o'clock Mr. Jonness covered the table with leai's from his two-volume collection of Papua. Some IGOO stamps were exhibited, the design, a lahatoi, or native ennoo iu full sail before the villas© or Hanuahads, was the samo throughout, but tho colouring, figures of value, perforation, and water-mark changed. Ihe Papuan watermark had long been a. puzzle to many, but Mr. Jonness assured those present that the nearly-circular rosette had a long and short diameter, and, tiy discovering which was winch, one could say whether the watermark was horizontal or vertical. , , y-v Jenncss gave an interesting lecture on how he acquired his stamps, and pointed out such varieties as the autumnal leaves" and "tho rift-in-the-clouds varieties. He warned those present about purchasing the 2s. Rd. stamp without the surcharge, as some clever persons hail erased the small "Papua" from the more common stamp, and carelnlly covered up their scratches with a suitable postmark. \ vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Jonness for. his interesting lecture.