N.Z. STAMP DUTIES

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1932, Page 8

N.Z. STAMP DUTIES

SOME HARSH - CRITICISM. ' ‘THE WORLD’® UGLIEST.”Some caustic criticism of New Zealand s postage -stamp designs is oft’e.led - in, the - latest issue of the “Australian- Stamp • Monthly.” Under the heading, “New Zealand. Does It Again,” the journal shy*:— “The powers that be' in New Zealand certainly - do> not let the grass growunder their feet when it comes to stamp issues. During the last year or two they- have gone from height to height in their efforts to- retain the palm awarded- them for the World’s Ugliest Stamp. They certainly deserve; congratulations on the -way they -have, against heavy opposition, -.maintained their pre-eminent position in;-this respect. “This month we again find them well to the fore, with: the latest issue- for their Island’dependencies.- This ifc-the Is value of the new Cook Islands and Nine series. Printed in-a particularly revolting -shade of purple, with a black centre, it shows a really clever caricature of the King, surrounded by fish bones picked clean. We have been told that- the bones are not bones but ferns, but we are sure that' no selfrespecting fern would this. No, bones-it-is, and the significance thereof is that N.Z. stamp designing and printing has how got down to the bare bones. We hope „ so, for anything worse would be too much, for longsuffering philatelists.” Apparently, however, ugliness lias it« virtues if combined with’, scarcity, footanother writer in the same; journal says: “This .new issue in the-Cook Is-

lands- anjd iNiue- should be obtained while it remains current.., ;It was not printed in v>e-ry large numbers, and as soon I *as-present supplies' are-, exhausted will ’be‘ replaced by the same- types on water-marked paper. I am partie‘ularly taken with the prospects of the j very ugly -'ls ' value. Correspondent's tell me that this stamp wa-s only printed to the time of a fie-w thousand, as the stamps were rejected a-s unsuitable. It was, in fact, decided not to iissue this value, but owing to supplies of ls j stamps running out, tliis deci-sion was Ireverse-l, and the small available supply -issued.” •