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ISSUE 91 (May 2011)

 

 

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New Zealand Postcard Society (Inc) Directory 

 

Patron Geoff Potts pottsfamily00@hotmail.com
President Jeff Long jefflong@xtra.co.nz
Vice-Presidents Laurence Eagle lfeagle@clear.net.nz
  Diane McKoy diane.brian@xtra.co.nz
Secretary Jenny Long jenny-long@clear.net.nz
Treasurer Ross Alexander rossalexander@xtra.co.nz
Sales Mgr/Auctioneer Chris Rabey ships.pubs@paradise.net.nz
Editors Jeff Long & Laurence Eagle  
'Annual' Editor Bill Main wmain@paradise.net.nz
Committee Geoff Pots pottsfamily00@hotmail.com
  John Eccles john.eccles@xtra.co.nz
  Donal Duthie donalduthie@paradise.net.nz
  Bruce Isted cartophilic@xtra.co.nz
  Chas Lilley chas@stampshop.co.nz

The Postcard Pillar News & Views is produced three times a year under the editorship of Jeff Long and Laurence Eagle. Contributions are very welcome at any time; please email or post to Jeff Long (details above)

Membership of the Society can be obtained by sending a cheque payable to N.Z. Postcard Society Inc for $30 (families $35, overseas $NZ40) to the Secretary, with your name, address, telephone number, email address and collecting interests

Editorial: This is the eighth edition of the Postcard Pillar News & Views. Remember we need your contributions, preferably in electronic format, but it is perfectly fine if this is not possible. The main aim is to get your words and pictures and ideas out to our membership. This issue we have interesting and significant articles by Diane McKoy, Bruce Isted and ‘Safari’

News: A postcard ‘special interest’ group has been formed in Christchurch, under the auspices of the Christchurch Philatelic Society. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of alternate months, with the next meeting to be held on May 17, then July 19. Come along !

Cover illustration  This edition’s cover picture is a postcard from the collection of Bruce Isted, which not only highlights royalty, but also the firm of Holloways, which featured in our issue. For more, see page four.

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Postcard Society News

New Zealand Philatelic Federation Awards for 2011

These awards were made for the first time in 2011. The Federation makes similar awards for Deserving Philatelist and Philatelist of the Year

Postcarder of the Year – Bill Main

Bill edited and produced the Postcard Pillar from 2000 to 2009 when he took over the Postcard Pillar Annual. His articles on NZ photographers, postcard photographers and producers provided the first comprehensive coverage of the historic NZ postcard scene. This is reflected in Bill’s books such as Wish You Were Here (in collaboration with Alan Jackson), Facing an Era, Send me a Postcard, Edwardian Wellington (ZAK), and Maori Maidens and Warriors.

Deserving Postcarders

Doug South

Doug was President of the Society from 2000 to 200???, providing leadership and support for others; a complete review of the Society rules, affiliation with the New Zealand Philatelic Federation, support for Bill Main’s revitalisation of the Postcard Pillar, Society publication of “Wish You Were Here”  by Bill Main and Alan Jackson in 2004. He is also one of only a few qualified postcard judges in New Zealand.  Also Doug has organised the dealer component of every annual Postcard Society convention since 2002

Evie South

Evie was Treasurer of the Society from 2002 to 2005, and Auction Manager from 1998 to 2008. She has also been involved with many other Society activities She exhibits cards very successfully with many very good awards, and has been willing to show her exhibit, A Labyrinth of Waterways, to many groups thus stimulating an interest in postcards in her local area.

Palmpex Exhibition 2010 – awards to members

Postcards 1-2 frames

Donna Stenhouse        83 Ruby                      The Last Age of Elegance    Special Prize

Hank Smits                 80 Ruby                      The Floral Clock of Christchurch

Pauline Schwartz        78 Emerald                  The Eastern Districts of Otago

Brian Vincent              68 Sapphire                 The Forgotten World Highway – Route 43

Lynne Kitchin             55 Topaz                     Louis Wain & the Summer Cat Show

Yvette Trinidad          54 Topaz                     Singer Manufacturing Co. World Columbian

Exposition 1893

Postcards 3-8 frames

Yvonne Benson          95 Gold                       Taonga Maori             Distinction and Special Prize

Donal Duthie              78 Silver                      A Biography with Postcards

Lynn Kitchin               71 Silver                      Sydney Harbour

Ray Mulholland          71 Silver                      The Many Faces of Raphael Tuck

Tony Jones                  67 Silver Bronze         In Search of Salmonidae

Jeff Trinidad               63 Silver Bronze         Shirley Temple – 56 Ringlets 63 SB

Postcards 8 pages

Bruce Isted                 69 Sapphire                 Wanganui Generic Postcards

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Adelaide Exhibition 2010 – awards to members

Postcards 3 frames

Jill Glasson                  75 Vermeil                   Looking Back – Christchurch Lifestyles

Postcards 1 frame

Evie-Joy South                        75 Vermeil                   Picton & the Discovery of a Lost Love

Jenny Long                  70 Large Silver                        Estuary to Esplanade

Robert Duns                68 Silver                      Aldersley Sumner

Upcoming Exhibitions

CPS 100

This exhibition was to be held in conjunction with other events to mark the centenary of the Christchurch Philatelic Society. The scheduled date was late November 2011. However, due to the earthquake this exhibition will now NOT be held in 2011. Options are being considered for late January or early February. Postcard exhibition classes will be offered if the exhibition can be held.

Blenpex 2012

This exhibition will be held in Blenheim on October 12 to 14 2012. It is envisaged that postcard exhibition classes will be included. More information will be available about this exhibition later.

National Stamp Show W.A. 2012 – Inaugural Picture Postcard Challenge

The Australian Philatelic Federation has approved a Picture Postcard Challenge, as a special event to be run in Perth from 17 to 20 May 2012 (similar to the 10 year old Philatelic Challenge).

The Challenge will involve each Australian State and Territory and New Zealand entering four standard exhibits competing for a trophy. Each individual participant receives a medal for their exhibit according to the level that exhibit achieves, and the total of the four scores for each team will determine the winner of the Challenge.

Each team will submit four exhibits, made up of two exhibits of five frames each and two single frame entries. The cost per frame is A$40 per frame, or A$480 per Challenge entry.

The NZ Postcard Society would like to see a team entered. If you are interested in being a member of the team, please contact the editor at jefflong@xtra.co.nz

2011 NZ Postcard Society Convention

This year’s convention will be held on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th September at the Baycourt Community and Arts Centre, 38 Durham St, Tauranga. This venue is in central Tauranga, and is close to shops and cafes.

Accommodation can be booked at the Roselands Motel, 21 Brown St, Ph 0800 363 093, the Academy Motor Inn, 734 Cameron Road, Ph 0800 782 922, or the Cobblestone Court Motel, 86 Chapel St, Ph 0800 506 306, but be in quickly as Tauranga is busy at this time. These are all close to Baycourt and tariffs range from $115 per night

Further information regarding the itinerary for the two days will be available with the July Postcard Pillar New and Views.

Proposal for 2012 Postcard Exhibition in Nelson

This proposal was put forward by Doug South at the AGM last September, and was to be debated in detail at the March meeting of the NZ Postcard Society meeting. Unfortunately, this meeting, due to be held in Christchurch was cancelled due to the earthquake, and as four of the committee are Christchurch based, the committee has decided by email discussion not to proceed with this proposal at present.

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Thomas Holloway “Royalty” advertising die-cut cards - by Bruce Isted

Further to the interesting article on “Royal Holloway College founded on pills” (that featured on pages 3-4 of Postcard Pillar, April 2010); I have in my collection four colourful Royalty die-cut advertising cards which were probably given away as promotional purposes to help sell the product “Holloway’s Pills & Ointments”, (‘Manufactured 113 Southwark Street, late 78 New Oxford Street, London. Sold by all chemists and medicine vendors. Prices 1½ and 2/9 per box or pot.’)  While these cards may have been intended for a scrapbook album, I wonder if these might have been intended to be free-standing, since they have a cardboard “leaner”, which you can see from the illustrations. There is a rectangular piece on the lower middle end of the card (although two of the cards don’t show this, but clearly they probably have been worn away by constant leaning!)

There are a few interesting features to note about these cards:

  1. The two King Edward VII cards differ slightly on the fronts & backs. ie the card that has text on front, ‘His late Majesty …’ (obviously issued after the King died in 6 May 1910) has appropriately added text but is unusual it does not mention “Thomas Holloway” on the front. Also the portrait of the King on that card (circa 1910/11) is slightly angled to the left compared to the other card (issued, circa 1902/3).
  1. On the back of the 1902/3 King Edward VII card (hard to see on illustration but is just below the boxed ad) is a pink stamped contact name: “R. W. PARKER, CHEMIST, AUCKLAND”.
  1. The backs of all four cards have different advertising.
  1. The backs of both King cards are different, both in advertising and address.
  1. Both cards (issued c1902/3) of Her Majesty Queen Alexandra have same fronts (picture/text), however the backs are both different, but only in the advertising; the address is the same.
Holloways 2a Holloways 1a
Front & back of King & Queen cards(original size measures about 90mm x 140mm; illustrations reduced.)  

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Free Lance  January  ’08  “Entre Nous” Postcards

The postcard craze develops into the most distressing malady sometimes. One man in Wellington started exchanging cards with a girl in Sydney. Suddenly they stopped coming. He waited. They still didn’t come. But, the girl came! They are going to be married on Friday at the – oh, never mind!

A Thorndon man had a whole room papered with post-cards, and, as it is a rented house, the landlord is suing him for damages to his wall..

Saw a lady in a Quay shop the other day “buying” post-cards. Lady was furiously going through the cards till they were piled high in a frightful muddle two feet high. “Seems to be a poor collection” she said after she had worn a lot of the cards out shuffling them. “Have you any coloured ones?” “Where are the ones with texts?” “Penny each. That’s dear, isn’t it?” “I don’t think I like any of these Mr H.” looking at the 2500 post-cards she had heaped together.

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The Hursthouse Outrage - by Diane McKoy

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Te Kumi scene of the Hursthouse outrage, King Country  

When I came across this Muir and Moodie card, I first thought that it was just an interesting early Maori village scene until I read the title. “Te Kumi, Scene of the Hursthouse Outrage, King Country.”

I wanted to know more. Who was Hursthouse? Why was he outraged or who had committed an outrage upon him?

Charles Wilson Hursthouse, a man in his early forties described as the perfect frontiersman - tall, lean, hard and muscular, with a glint in his eye and a long easy stride.

He already had more than twenty years of military and surveying experience. He was cool and diplomatic, with experience in the ways of the Maori and spoke their language.

He was the first choice of the Government when they required an intermediary in the disputes with Maori tribes over land for the railway in King Country and Taranaki.

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In February 1883 C.W. Hursthouse was instructed to start an exploratory survey south from Te Awamutu to New Plymouth accompanied by an assistant surveyor, Mr Newsham. After being turned back by Maoris at Otorohanga, they set out again with Wetere Te Rerenga as a guide and a party of Ngati-Maniapoto, after being promised by several high chiefs that they would be able to carry out their mission.

At Te Uira near Te Kuiti they were confronted by Te Mahuki, a Maori prophet who was determined to stop all forms of Pakeha intrusion including all surveys, and were asked to turn back. Wetere replied that they would not and being out numbered, the surveyors were pulled off their horses, and their coats and haversacks with contents were taken from them. Mahuki had forbidden his men to carry fire-arms, otherwise someone may have been killed. The prisoners at Mahuki’s command were taken to Te Kumi, Mahuki’s village on the bank of the Manga-oweka stream, where they were placed in a cooking house, their hands tied behind their backs and their ankles secured by chains to the central post of the house.

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They were left for two days and nights, starved, thirsty, most of their clothes removed and   plagued by mosquitoes. At the end of that time some pigs’ potatoes were thrown in to them, but being tied up they were unable to reach the food.

During this time a Maori named Te Haerae (Te Here), one of the guide party, was forcibly thrown in the whare with the European prisoners. Hursthouse, who understood Maori could hear a discussion, through the thin walls on how they were to be killed, also the taunting by yelling and chanting around the whare.

Wetere, who had accompanied them to Te Kumi under the pretence of returning to Mokau, got permission to leave with one of his followers. He managed to reach Alexandra (now called Pirongia) and get a telegram sent to Hon. John Bryce the Native Affairs Minister who collected a party of about 150 men on the 23rd March to rescue the Europeans.

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But when they reached Otorohanga they were informed that Hursthouse and Newsham had been already rescued by Te Kooti, who on hearing of the capture, collected many of the Ngatimaniapoto tribe from his settlement to go to Te Kumi. He had met up with Wetere and his follower, who had under Wetere’s instruction, had gathered 30 men. Together they felt strong enough to effect a rescue. They made a sudden dash at Mahuki and his people and overpowered them. When the rescuers entered the cookhouse, they were shocked at the condition of Hursthouse and his companions who were bruised, weak and scarcely able to stand. They were taken to Te Kooti’s settlement and treated with kindness and supplied with clothes. All their property was returned and their clothes were found on some of the people that had assaulted them.   The chains that bound Hursthouse were presented to him as a souvenir.

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Whaaru (leader of Hursthouse rescue party) and wife at Wahanui’s House Alexandra

(I could not find any mention of this man in any of the many articles on this incident.   So i feel he may have given his account of his part in the rescue to Alfred Burton personally)

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The Native Minister had  wanted Mahuki seized and the Ngatimaniapoto did not want to hand him over, but could not decide what to do with him.    Then Mahuki and 20-30 of his followers decided to march in to Alexandra (Pirongia) where he said all their Pakeha enemies would fall down before them.   They  entered Alexandra in a threatening manner and were quickly surrounded by the Armed Constabulary and taken to Auckland where they were charged with assault on Messrs. Hursthouse and Newsham, also robbery.   They were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.

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Rewi      Tawhaha     Taonui     Wetere Te RerengaTe Rangituataka      Te Naunau

GREAT CHIEFS AT WHARE-KOMITI, HAEREHUKA, KING COUNTRY

(Wetere Te Rerenga who played a large part in Hursthouse’s Rescue standing far right)

Two years later Alfred Henry Burton visited Te Kumi on his trip through the King Country and took photos of the village and several of the people involved in the incident, including Mahuki.  Some of these were produced as Muir and Moodie Postcards. (I cannot find any postcard of Mahuki. Bill Main has told me that not all of Burton’s photos were made into postcards, especially if the person did not look commercially appealing).

Two months after photographing the Te Kumi village and the people involved, Alfred Burton, on his travels, actually met Charles Wilson Hursthouse at Alexandra and heard from him a first hand  account of the “Outrage”.

References - King Country Journey Alfred Burton (Introduction by William Main), By Design by Rosslyn J. Noonan, NZ Electronic Text Centre, Papers Past.

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Above is only a copy of a postcard - postmarked 1900 Wanganui + Waverley (advertises 1901 Calendars)  
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Above card from collection of Ray Staal  
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Tanner Bros Ltd Wellington - by Robert Duns

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Note: overprinted 'Book Post' to qualify for lower postage rate 1914: ORDER YOUR NEW YEAR POSTCARDS NOW

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L W WILSON - A Colourful Postcard Subject - by Robert Duns

Further to Allan Jackson’s article L W Wilson Scenic Series [‘Postcard Pillar” #89 p9], the following information about the artist is summarised from “Nineteenth century New Zealand Artists “A Guide and Handbook by Una Platts.

 

A full version can be read online at the Canterbury Public Library’s website.

Laurence William Wilson.

A member of the Ellerman Wilson shipping family, as a child living in Dover during the American War of Secession Wilson saw two ships in 1864 fighting in the Channel and after the sinking of one, made a drawing of the other when it put into Dover for repairs.

He emigrated to New Zealand, and was established in Auckland by 1877. In 1878 he is listed as an Oamaru artist, and by 1884 was resident in Dunedin, until at least 1887.  In 1904 he left Dunedin via Australia for England, returning via Africa and India.

He was a prolific and competent painter, whose best work is of a high standard, though his potboilers were considered as ‘too pretty.’ He painted in oils, but is better known for his watercolours.

Although he was usually a good seller, the Wilson family money helped to keep him going.  Whenever one of the family died, Wilson would get a legacy.  He was said to have managed to get through £11,000 in two years by buying and backing two racehorses.  Another much later time, when he received £1800, he went to England, but first gave a party for his musical and artistic friends in a hall opposite Speights Brewery. He returned six months later with just enough money for his cab fare.

His art was exhibited at the NZ and South Seas Exhibition in Dunedin 1889-90; the St Louis Exposition 1904 as a NZ painter, and at the 1940 Centennial Exhibition, Wellington.  His work is represented in major NZ Galleries.

His wife was also a painter, taught by Wilson, and reputed to have signed her paintings with his initials.  She stopped exhibiting in NZ after 1904.

Wilson’s date of birth is uncertain, but seems to have been 1850/52, and his date of death is shown by the Christchurch Art Gallery website to be 1931.

[“potboilers” are paintings that have been created to a price for the ‘popular market’ so are usually smaller in size than major works.  Today this does not seem to make too much difference in the art market when people often buy based on the signature in the corner rather than on the quality of the artwork.

Many of today’s ‘high priced” New Zealand artists from the 19th century and early 20th century,  painted scenes with bright sunsets, as these were popular at the time to brighten up dark rooms.]

Snippet: from The Hawera and Normanby Star, 24 July 1914

A postcard vending machine has been on trial in the vestibule of the Chief Post Office in Wellington for more than a month. The machine is of a type which has been greatly improved by an officer of the Wellington Post Office, and in its improved form is givin every satisfaction. It is now selling at the rate of 500 acrds a month. Two cards are sold for one penny

Source: http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

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Sign Language

One of the cards sold recently from Ian Conrich’s Maori cards collection was an amazing card showing the ‘deaf and dumb alphabet,’ along with greetings from Maori to their counterparts in Great Britain. There is no indication of who produced or marketed this card. It is shown at a much-enlarged size on the page opposite to enable the reader to better see the signs.

Below is an item, provided by Norman Banfield, which is a Russian equivalent. Notice that the symbols are completely different, even to the extent of the Russian alphabet using just a single hand, whereas the Maori card shows the use of two hands for most symbols.

In Christchurch recently, we have become used to having a signer alongside Bob Parker and Civil Defence staff in earthquake briefings, so these cards are very relevant right now.

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18 Sign Langa

 

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PROHIBITED - by “Safari”

The saga of tinsel seems to have become popular before 1907. Writing or images on cards were outlined with a material such as cotton glued onto the card, and then the tinsel was spread over the enclosed area. For some reason the main choice for this exercise were cards of actresses.

However, when the item was posted the tinsel and glue might spread over other items of mail, and also might cause problems for the machinery sorting and cancelling the mail.

The New Zealand Post and Telegraph Office issued a public notice prohibiting the use of tinsel. The feature ‘One Hundred Years ago Today’ in the Hawkes Bay edition of 5 December 2007 read: “The Secretary of the Post Office has notified the Acting Chief Postmaster that all tinselled postcards without covers will in future be destroyed. This notice is final.”

This seems to have settled the matter for several years before posting of tinselled cards not under cover again made an appearance. Perhaps the public had forgotten or overlooked the ‘destroy’ edict. Hence the use of the “PROHIBITED” impression again.

The Post and Telegraph guide of July 1910, in the postcards section, stated ‘Tinselled cards, being cards ornamented with tinsel, mica, powdered glass or similar substances, are prohibited transmission through the Post Office unless enclosed in covers. If not so enclosed they will be sent to the Dead Letter Office for disposal. Tinselled cards enclosed in open covers are liable to the letter rate of postage if they bear written communications, otherwise they may be sent as printed matter within New Zealand and to the United Kingdom. The delivery to all other places of such cards at the printed matter rate cannot be guaranteed.’

Queries

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Card A  ½d with ‘Wellington 2.9.07’ and ‘Prohibited’ in red addressed to Palmerston North. Card B  ½d King Edward VII with ‘Christchurch 16.1.13’ addressed locally with ‘Prohibited’ in red.
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Card C  1d  Universal cancelled with obliterator ‘A’ of Auckland. Addressed locally with ‘Prohibited’ in red. ‘Auckland 13.3.13’ Part octagonal ‘Auckland 15.3.13’.  

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Card A Card C
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Card D  

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Card D  1d New South Wales Arms ‘Riverstone 6.8.07’ to Auckland, and ‘Prohibited’ in light purple. Card E  1d Universal ‘Te Awamutu 26.8.07’to Auckland, and ‘Prohibited’ in light purple
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Card E  

Back Cover
PP No.91b