THE PIGEON POST TO THE GREAT BARRIER.
ECHO OF AN EARLIER DAY.
Anion* recent, acquisitions to tho Kational Historical Collection is a specially, interesting gift from Mr. H. Bolitho, of Dovonport, Auckland.. This consists of the. complete set of blocks used for printing the stamps for the carrier pigeon post to Great Barrier Island. '!'o realise all that the pigeon post ine-int to tho dwellers on the lonely outpost of the. Great Barrier, one must po back to the comparatively "dark ages" ff 1597, when thel'c wns no cable communication with tho island, mill the liipcmciea of the mining industry in tin north demanded, lor its eo.-upleto success, rapid communication. . . ■
The suggestion "f a earner pigeon post originated with' Mr. Snwles, n. wellknown mining man of those days, and on enthusiast itinonir' pigeon fanciers, Mr. Parkin, lost no t'ine in carrying it into . effect, d'ho first -message ever flown from the island was 'oorno !>y one of Mr. Parkin's birds on j May H, ISO". Irtorest in tho service was stimulated by its success, and as time went on other competitors entered the field. In 189S Mr. Parkin's interest was taken over by Mr. Holden Howie, whose well arranged pifjeon loft at Newton Road, Auckland, Afforded the . "Auckland Weekly News" of- September 15, 1809, subjects for an interostine page of illustrations. Mr. Howie . inaugurated tho use of ■ stamps iii the. Great Barrier nifreon post, and it may ]ie mentioned that apnlicafions from Philatelists in r.ll parts of the world were roceiwd for the.-e unique stamps. They were nil shilling stamps, mid were used to attach tbo message to tho leg of the little letter-cniwr, a., method -which was found an imnrovement in every way on tho old rlunisy style of fasteninc with string or cotton. Some of the stamps are. cnlled "Great Tiarrier Sweinl Post." olliors "Great Barrier Tslnnd. Pigeongram." and others again "Mnrotilii Island. Pigeoneram, ,, - but the valuo was always the same. ' '
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Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 181, 20 April 1918, Page 7
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323THE PIGEON POST TO THE GREAT BARRIER. Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 181, 20 April 1918, Page 7
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