Further to my article “Cigarette Card Collecting On Postcards”, published in April 2013
Postcard Pillar, I have other postcards bordering on a similar theme, although in this case the postcards shown below could be classified as Tobacco Advertising, despite not mentioning a brand name, but for most collectors it would be classified as comic.
I obtained the first postcard shown below about 10 years ago. This is artist drawn as it has a pre-printed signed name, which looks like, N Coletta. I can’t find anything in Picture Postcard Values (UK) book on this person, nor anything on the internet.
I was amazed to find at least three similar postcards, all obtained recently on Ebay. As can be seen the pictures are basically the same, with subtle differences in the way the dog is drawn. All produced in USA with different backs and publishers. I wonder if there were any copyright’s on them? Perhaps the design was copied with the original publisher’s permission?
I’m sure these postcards will give you a laugh whether you are a smoker or not!
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 | |
| VP Research | Bill Main | wmain@paradise.net.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 | |
| Webmasters | Bruce King | blinking@vodafone.co.nz |
| Ross Alexander | rossalexander@xtra.co.nz | |
| Committee | Geoff Potts | pottsfamily00@hotmail.com |
| John Eccles | john.eccles@xtra.co.nz | |
| Bruce Isted | cartophilic@xtra.co.nz | |
| Leo Haks | info@leohaks.co.nz | |
| Glenn Reddiex | grredx@hotmail.com |
Life Members: Yvonne Coles, William Main, Geoff Potts, Chris Rabey, Doug South, Evie South, Ray Staal
Correspondence: all enquiries should be made either by email to the Secretary, jenny-long@clear.net.nz or by post to P O Box 20, Wakefield, Nelson 7052.
The Society website is www.postcard.org.nz
The Postcard Pillar magazine is produced four 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.
Membership of the Society can be obtained by sending a cheque payable to N.Z. Postcard Society Inc to the Secretary, with your name, address, telephone number, email address and collecting interests. Renewing members can pay online; details are on your subs notice.
The subscription for an individual or family member is $35, or $45 for an overseas member.
Editorial: Many thanks to those of you who have sent in contributions. Keep them coming, 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. In this issue we have significant contributions from Alan Kilpatrick & Jeff Long, Donal Duthie, Gerard Morris, Diane McKoy, and Jenny Long (with help from Bill Main.)
Cover illustration. The Waikaia dredge Bonnie Dundee. Refer to the article on pages 7-9.
Table of Contents: Issue 99
1 Tobacco Advertising on postcards, by Bruce Isted
2 Directory
3-5 Snippets
6 Burton Bros image of Nukualofa, Tonga by Jeff Long & Alan Kilpatrick
7-9 Gold Dredging in Waikaia by Jeff Long & Alan Kilpatrick
10-13 Border Negatives by Jenny Long
14-17 NZ Airline Photographers, by Gerard Morris
18-19 NZ Warrant of Fitness reminder postcards, by Safari
19-20 Changes to the NZ postcard judging rules, by Jeff Long
21-23 Roses in the Invercargill Gardens, by Donal Duthie
24-25 The Gisborne War Memorial Cenotaph, by Diane McKoy
26 Postcard Variations, by Wayne King
Our next issue will be number 100, and 2013 is the 30th anniversary of the formation of the Society. Issue 100 will be a commemorative issue featuring samples of articles from the first 100 issues, and snippets about early members and Society history. If you can help provide a snippet or two, please contact the Editor. Thanks !
Society News and Snippets
2013 NZ Postcard Society Convention
This year the Convention will be held on 7th and 8th September, in the Cheval Room at the Hastings Racecourse, 300 Prospect Rd, Hastings.
If you are looking for accommodation the following places are close by.
The Convention is the week before the Upper Hutt Stamp Show exhibition on 13th to 15th September. It is an excellent opportunity to attend both events. More information will be sent out in the next Postcard Pillar.
Lists
Work is being done on various lists of postcard information produced by members over the years, which might be helpful for members. This will pull together much information about postcard producers and photographers, and will be published on the Members Only section of the website
Robert Rush and Michael Cooke are currently working very hard on producing a three part list of Muir & Moodie postcards, which will be the most comprehensive ever produced. It will be added to the Members Only section of the website as sections are completed. A printed version will be available to members at a nominal cost, and to non-members at a rate which will encourage them to join the Society. The price will be determined when we know the size of the document.
Jeff & Jenny Long have been working on updating the list of FGR postcards based on the Society’s 2006 publication and as added to by Kevin Hannah. It will shortly be sent to collectors we know who have substantial holdings of FGR cards, and then uploaded to the Society website. The list is already 300 cards longer than the original list published by the Society.
If you have some lists it would be great if you could make them available, so they could be added to our website. Some contributions have already been received, but Editor Jeff Long would be pleased to hear from lots more of you.
NZPS Website
Work is continuing on the Society website at www.postcard.org.nz. The Members Only section is being finalised, and should ‘go live’ for members within the next few weeks. There will be an application form on the site to submit so the Secretary can confirm that you are a member of the NZPS and allow you access. There is a lot on the website already, and more is being written!
It is a great development to be able to publish material gradually onto the website rather than trying to put a whole book together. We should be able to get a lot more articles and lists published for members. There is also a forum for members to ‘chat’ to each other – ask questions, share discoveries, and ‘meet’ other members with similar interests on line!
Please remember that this material is for NZPS members only. The intellectual property lies with the authors and the Society. Don’t share it with non-members. Encourage them to join the Society instead !!
Comments would be welcomed by our Secretary, who is currently also the Society Webmaster, at jenny-long@clear.net.nz
Society Auctions, & the Postcard Pillar Index
Our last three auctions were 100 % sell-outs, so why not contact Chris Rabey with some of your cards for sale. The next auction is planned to go out with Postcard Pillar 100. In the meantime, Chris is busy updating the index to the Postcard Pillar. It will cover issues 1 to 100, and update the previous list published in 2006. It will be uploaded to the members Only section of the Society website when ready. A paper version will be available to members and non-members if requested; the price will be determined when we know the size of the document.
World War One Centenary 2014 to 2018 – and the Postcard Society
The New Zealand Government has developed an official programme to mark the First World War Centenary from 2014 to 2018 called “WW100 New Zealand”. The Department of Arts Culture and Heritage has a website for contributions from individuals and organisations.
The NZ Postcard Society will set up a blog on the Arts and Heritage website, with links to our NZPS website, and will upload postcard images and ephemera with an accompanying description or story that links to New Zealand during 1914-1918. Glenn Reddiex will run this blog on behalf of the Society. (Glenn already has a project in progress of uploading 100 New Zealand military postcards to his blog site http://100nzww1postcards.blogspot.co.nz/)
Society members are invited to contribute postcard images, stories and articles that relate to the impact of World War One on New Zealand and New Zealanders. This will be a continuing project commemorating significant events during the war and the years immediately following.
Contributions can be of any size, from single images with a short description through to longer articles. These will be published either, on the NZPS blog (suitable for short items), or (for longer items) in the Members Only section of the website, or in the Postcard Pillar.
These items can be forwarded to Glenn Reddiex, (email address in Directory). Glenn and the Editors of the Postcard Pillar will then direct the story or article to the appropriate publication.
The Weekly Press postcards
Safari would like to know if there is a list of these cards. At the end of 1901 the Weekly Press had printed a set of cards to support Capt Scott’s expedition issued before his departure for the Antarctic in December 1901. The layout is the same as for the Bluff Hill card below.
Following on from Derek Pocock’s article on the Melanesian Missions in Issue 95, Jenny Banfield has provided this image of the Bishop.
Rick Hogben from England has made contact to see what can be found out about NZ High Commission cards printed in French. Many members will be familiar with the cards produced for the High Commission in London. They are cards with the same images as available in NZ, but inscribed on the reverse “New Zealand High Commission, London, WC1.” They were used for promotional purposes.
Rick has recently found some cards produced by the Tella Camera Co of Southampton Row, WC1 and inscribed “Du Bureau du Haut Commissaire de la Nouvelle Zelande, 415 Strand, Londres, WC@.” ie the NZ High Commission in London. So far, Rick has found only three cards – Christchurch, Wellington and Rotorua. The cards are most likely to be from 1916 onwards, as the NZHC was located in Victoria St until 1915. Rick wonders if the card were available for NZ soldiers serving in France so they could be given away, but admits this idea is probably a bit far-fetched !
The Editor would be very pleased to hear about any other cards that may exist in this series, and also any ideas about why they might have been inscribed in French. As Rick says, answers on a postcard please . . . or should that be Carte Postale ?
One of Neville Seaward’s cards of this statue was illustrated in Postcard Pillar 98 on page 21. Safari notes that the statue was presented by the 30,000 Club to the City of Napier in 1954.
With the recent passing of Parekura Horomia, candidates for the parliamentary seat of Ikaroa Rawhiti have now been named. One of them has a close link with the statue since it was his grandmother, May Robin of Hukarere Maori Girls College, who was the model for the head of the statue.
The statue was also part of a set of three stamp issued for the Centennial of Hawkes Bay in 1958.
John Eccles has shifted to a new shop, although it isn’t far from his previous shop in the BNZ Centre. He can now be found on the first floor of the AMI Centre, 342 Lambton Quay. John’s postal address is P O Box 1174, Wellington. Ph 04 499 6460. Email john.eccles@xtra.co.nz
Following up on the article on early postcards of Tonga in the November 2012 issue of the Postcard Pillar, Alan Kilpatrick has provided a Burton Bros image 2707 of Nukualofa, the capital of Tonga. A wooden building is being constructed; the Royal Palace was constructed in 1867, so it is probably the Faiva Tokaikolo Church, immediately adjacent to the Palace. Alan has some other Burton Bros Pacific images; he can be contacted at amkilpa@es.co.nz
From Alan Jackson’s book on “Burton Bros and Muir & Moodie of Dunedin” we learn that in June-August 1884 Alfred Burton made two separate trips from Auckland to the Pacific Islands on board the S.S. Wairarapa. On the first trip in June, the ship called at Fiji only. It had been intended for the cruise to continue to Samoa and Tonga, but an outbreak of measles on board caused the vessel to return to Auckland from Fiji.
The second trip left Auckland on 7th July, and the ship called at Fiji (again), Samoa, and Tonga, before returning on 2nd August. Upon his return to Dunedin, Alfred published a booklet entitled “The Camera in the Coral Islands” which gave a commentary on his trip, and made the following additions to the firm’s catalogue:
As is the case with the New Zealand views, many of these photos are now of great historical interest. During the 1890s, for some unknown reason, some of this series were renumbered between 5805 and 5831.
Has any member examples of the Burton Bros Pacific Islands trips on postcards by Muir & Moodie ?
Waikaia is a small town in northern Southland, known as Switzers in the early years, after an immigrant runholder. According to Robin Startup in his book “New Zealand Post Offices” the Switzers post office was open between Feb 20, 1864 and Nov 1, 1877 when the name was altered to Waikaia. Incidentally Waikaia was the first office to appoint a post mistress in the entire British Empire!
Gold brought large numbers of people to the area, which went through various stages of gold extraction – panning, sluicing, underground (the famed King Solomon Mine) and dredging.
Dredging started in a small way in the late 1890’s, and expanded rapidly from 1903 to boast a total of 17 dredges by 1907. As the gold ran out, the number of dredges dwindled to three or four by 1914, and the last dredge stopped work in the 1930’s. The grand total for the Waikaia-Wendonside area was 37 dredges!
Alan Kilpatrick has provided three early postcards of the area.
The dredge shown in the card below is the “Bonny Dundee’ in 1909, so was one of the later survivors. It was previously known as the ‘Hessys’ dredge, and renamed after a change of ownership in 1908.
The three dredges in the postcard below are:
The dividends for many dredges were very good, with one company providing a dividend in 1905 of £6,500 on a capital of just £3,500. Many investors were from Dunedin, and the number of shareholders varied from just a few to over a hundred. Many dredges were built locally, while others were dismantled elsewhere and freighted in or built from parts of other dredges.
Each dredge was controlled by a dredge master and a crew of six to eight, with additional labour needed to mine and cart lignite coal, the main source of power.
Little remains of the old-time scene now, but recreational panning for gold is still popular, and the local Switzers Museum has a interesting display of the period.
Ron Tyrrell’s book “Waikaia & Districts – A History” (ISBN 0-473-06020-5) published by the Waikaia Book Committee contains much interesting detail for those wishing to read further.
For those of you who attempted to decode the message on the card in the last Postcard Pillar, three of you were correct. Alan Craig was first but didn’t claim his prize (a 2012-13 subscription) so it goes instead to Diane McKoy.
Alan writes: the code is a simple one, designed to be spoken and sound like gibberish. This particular one was popular in Victorian times, and other similarly constructed codes were used in World War Two by the RAF. I have been aware of this particular card for 15 years or more as it was part of the H G Gilbert Boer War correspondence to his mother, most of which I own.
The code is constructed by taking the first letter of each word and putting it to the back and then adding an ‘a’ to make the word pronounceable. Small words beginning with a vowel are left intact, but the letters ‘swa’ are tacked on to the end. In this message proper nouns were not coded. Leila was Harry Gilbert’s auntie.
The message reads:
Dear Mother. Just two lines to keep my promise made at Newcastle. All is going well but we are not going to Dundee but to Vrykeid again. As there is a mail (+ as big one) waiting for us there I will not write any more now, but wait + answer Leila’s letters I am bound to get there. H G Gilbert.
Jenny Long recently found this envelope containing various shaped postcard borders for producing fancy postcard images.
They were produced by H Ltd, of London & Glasgow. As the envelope shows, there were three sets, depending on the size of the negatives being used.
There are very detailed instructions on the reverse of the packet (see the image on the left) which are somewhat complicated for a non-photographer, but in summary you develop your picture, then take another image with the desired frame outlining the part of the image you wish to window.
You will then have the central part of your original image with an attractive border.
It was suggested you adjust the exposure for the second printing so that the border design prints considerably lighter then the picture subject.
The set shown has four designs. Two of the four designs are shown below at actual size, while the group of three pieces for the one template have been reduced in size to fit the page.
Bill Main sent the following items which add to the story. The Carlernco envelope contained the following instruction leaflet, and a border negative. Bill also supplied a post card printed from this border negative.
An extract from Cassells Cyclopaedia of Photography edited by Bernard E Jones, published in 1911, and available on-line in a digitised version, has two entries on border printing.
(Abridged and revised version of an article first published in Pacific Wings, September 2003. All images used in this article are of postcards published by NAC and Air New Zealand.)
Their NAC and Air New Zealand photographic work has adorned postcards, posters, book covers and has been used in magazines and a wide variety of publicity material for over 50 years. Just who was responsible? The author went in search of the men and came back with this story. Three names quickly came to light – Dick Williams, Guy Mannering and Pat Dolan and it became clear from the beginning of the research that the “expensive junkets” as Guy called them, were only successful because of immense teamwork supporting them.
An Expanding Company
The story begins with Dick Williams who had recently retired after 46 years with firstly NAC and then Air New Zealand. In an e-mail he reflected, “NAC was expanding rapidly and our objective was to get footage, of the new aircraft types or those repainted, for promotional purposes.”
An NAC DC-3 Skyliner
Guy Mannering’s background in photography (firstly as Mannering and Donaldson and then Mannering and Associates) in the late 1950s included worked with Harry Wigley (Mount Cook Airlines) on the glaciers. He especially remembers his first landing on the Franz-Josef glacier with Harry and Rolly Ellis and the take-off which was ‘very exciting’ in the sadly unpowered Auster. “We got absolutely beautiful pictures. Harry treasured these afterwards.” He was also kept busy on some five occasions over desolate Antarctic ice formations taking photos to assist the recording of the number of penguins and seals. And in New Zealand he had also been involved in a highly acclaimed air-to-air photo shoot of a glider over Mt. Cook.
Pat takes up the story. “I had done a series of engineering shots covering all aspects of aircraft servicing, e.g. instruments, propellors, airframe, x-ray etc., and most importantly Rolls-Royce Dart and Pratt & Whitney engine servicing. The photographs were mounted back to back to form several pages which were bound into a hand-made cover with the NAC logo on the front. The purpose of this exercise, I believe, was for the head of engineering Arthur Smaill to take to Fokker Aircraft in Holland to show the Dutch executives NAC capabilities.
In 1961, this and Guy’s work came to the attention of Dick who was then NAC public relations officer at NAC head office, Wellington. Dick asked us if we could do some aerial photography. Could the same be done with a Friendship?
An NAC F.27 Friendship
“Dick (flight director)
was a meticulous organiser who seemed to know everyone within the organisation and was well respected”, Pat reflected. As a team they had to be. The weight of millions of dollars worth of aircraft, the pilots, the engineers and the all-important executives’ approval rested on their shoulders. The pilots and engineers were great to work with and the aircraft never let them down.
However, the executives were different. Each time they went up they felt they had to prove themselves and their professionalism.
An NAC Viscount
And each time Guy and Pat came down they were a bundle of nerves until the film had been processed and the images printed. Guy remembers, “within three hours of leaving the plane a print was made and a return to the airport to show the execs. and silence. We only had one opportunity. We were really on trial. We had to make pictures. It was always a matter of luck. I think we always ensured against bad luck – preparation – with a fairly well calculated guess. Buffeting and noise were neighbours on absolutely every flight we went on. Heaven help you if a lens cap or film wasn’t secured to you as the wind would just take it away.” Pat lost his ear plugs on one sortie in a Viscount. The B737 was in position so there was no opportunity to look for them. The photos had to come first, there was no second chance. When they landed he was totally deaf and to this day has never fully recovered his hearing. Guy also suffered some hearing loss, from the cumulative effect of all the flights, but not to the same extent.
Dick continues the story, “Many of the flights were undertaken in the early morning to
get the best light for photography. We obtained wonderful results and on most flights we also had a movie cameraman taking stock footage for television commercials and film documentaries. I took every opportunity to use these images in press, magazine, promotional material and corporate material. Other airlines were envious of the fine results obtained. Boeing was also impressed. Years later I directed two film shoots at Boeing in Seattle of an Air NZ Boeing 747.400 and Boeing 767.300 from a Lear jet which was pretty exciting.”
The last flight may have been in 1997, but Pat still remembers the stress they experienced. This article has also brought back pleasant memories of trust between pilots when he asked them to formate “just a little closer” and of one occasion when the B737 being photographed got just a little too close and her pilot backed off rather hastily to catch his breath.
An NAC Boeing B.737. It was “beautiful from any position.” (Pat Dolan)
Guy on the other hand is a more ‘matter of a fact’ type of person. He could face the client. “In all of it Dick suffered every request we made.” One in particular was the insistence that Guy have direct radio contact with the pilot of the subject aircraft. This allowed him to ask for a wing to be dipped, for example. “Dick never failed us. He defended us on occasions. We insisted that every peak be at a higher altitude than the plane. So we put the plane amongst the mountains. We flew by Mounts Arrowsmith, Tasman, Cook and Earnslaw plus glaciers and lakes.” This did not go unmissed by Harry Wigley who protested as he saw NAC as encroaching on the airspace of his Mount Cook Airlines. “But we saw it as a bit of friendly rivalry. We were after all intruding on his patch, but importantly using the photographs to also widely promote New Zealand.”
Locals were also concerned on a number of occasions and calls were made to the control
tower, Airways Corporation, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Mt. Thomas Observatory and even the army! There was however never any real cause for concern as a circumspect pre-flight briefing of pilots, supervising cabin staff and photographers was conducted before every flight.
The Technical Side:
Dick explains, “These exercises enabled us to get spectacular New Zealand plains, foothills, alps, lakes, glaciers, river systems, coastline, towns and cities as background scenery. And all were within a reasonable radius of Christchurch.” The duration of each flight was on average two hours and, on several, groundcrew were volunteers to sit in empty seats and give the impression of passengers at otherwise empty windows. A pair of ear plugs, a woollen jumper and a rope around the waist that in turn was secured to the plane were regular partners. Dick also noted that on later flights the cabin temperature was monitored by the flight crew so that everyone could work in reasonable comfort. However air pressure between lens and filter was an important consideration, especially after a filter shattered. From then on filters were attached after take-off.
And when they began using roll film the wrappers expanded and couldn’t be opened so they had to remember to remove them before take-off. The camera ship (e.g. DC-3) flew on the inside and the subject aircraft (e.g. F-27 Friendship) was filmed as it circled gaining all sunlight positions and landscapes.
The Cameras:
Over a 46 year period both photographers used German Linhof 5×4 inch cameras – Guy a Master III with a 127mm lens, and Pat a Speedgraphic with a 150mm lens – and hand-held exposure meters. Guy did the early black and white work before the introduction of slow 50 ASA colour film. Shutter speeds were usually one to one and half stops faster than usual and later darkroom work had to compensate for this. After Guy’s retirement in 1988, Murray Irwin shared the photography. The B747, and its all-white fuselage, posed a new challenge. Pat opted for a Pentax 67 with a 105mm lens and a special $180 filter to neutralize the strong ultra-violet light experienced at altitude. For added confidence he pre-flight tested the camera equipment using a white topdressing aircraft as his subject. The colour images were shot by Pat as Guy was colour-blind. Guy took the B&W images.
An Air NZ B747.400. “The sight of this huge aircraft approaching the camera was like a bloody great albatross silently soaring, pristine white against the blue sky.” (Pat Dolan)
Their images have withstood the test of time. The postcards in particular are still sought after by collectors around the world and six years after the last flight Air New Zealand is using their images in advertising. Will we see a new generation of photographer airborne in the future? It is unlikely as today’s technology has removed the need. Cameras are now mounted to aircraft and controlled from the warmth and comfort of a pressurised cabin. However both photographers agree that their images are more spectacular with the mountains and cloudscapes. The final word is left to Guy. “It was pioneering work in a pioneering time. Most of which you wouldn’t be able to do today because of OSH and public correctness”. And as for the rope around his waist, “it was a nuisance and I removed it often to allow for easier movement.”
Postscript:
Sadly, Guy Mannering died at about the time the article was originally published.
Acknowledgements:
Very special thanks to Dick Williams, Guy Mannering and Pat Dolan
The NZ Ministry of Transport say that the system of requiring six-monthly Warrant of Fitness commenced in 1935. Regarding the actual system of reminding motorists, there seems to be little information, but I infer that in the second half of the 1950’s service stations and other WOF providers started promoting their services to clients by sending out reminder notices.
The card above is a Dec 1959 reminder notice sent by Townshend Motors of Napier.
With few exceptions, such cards were from service stations or outlets with the emblem of their supporting oil company, including Castrol. It is possible the costs associated with printing and posting may have been shared.
From about the late 1980’s a different pattern appears, generally disregarding the oil company. The second card above is an example.
Many present-day cards have reference to the MTA (Motor Trade Association) as part of the reminder system (see card below) but perhaps these days customers are more likely to be contacted by computer or cell phone, rather than by a physical card. (Ed: not in my case)
There must be other collectors out there with examples of these cards. Can anyone confirm the details, or otherwise add, to the story of these reminder notices?
At the NAPE meeting held at Blenpex 2012, 22 people from both sides of the Tasman attended and discussed a number of ideas around the judging of postcards. When NZ established rules for judging postcards, we took into account those in Australia at the time, although there was no set of nationally-accepted rules. Australia now has a national postcard society, had postcards accepted as a national class by the APF, and has judging information on the APF website, so was considered time to review the judging rules in relation to those in Australia. The meeting agreed it was highly desirable for the Australian and NZ rules to be the same. Given their genesis, both sets of rules are very similar. There were a few differences which were easily resolved.
Australia has 1 frame or 3-8 frames as their two categories. NZ has 1-2 frames and 3-8 frames. The latter was chosen since it means exhibitors can expand from 1 frame to 2 frames before heading to national class level. Australia wishes to retain the current split – either one-frame or 3-8 frames.
For multi-frame exhibits, the marks breakdown is very similar, but different in layout and order.
| Front Page (including Plan) | 5 |
| Appeal | 5 |
| Treatment | 20 |
| Knowledge & Research – Cards | 15 |
| Knowledge & Research – Subject | 15 |
| Rarity | 10 |
| Condition | 20 |
| Presentation | 10 |
The changes for NZ were to reduce the mark for Presentation from 15 to 10 ( no real change since Appeal is now separate), and increase the mark for Treatment from 15 to 20 (again no real change since Treatment and Front Page used to total 25 anyway).
The NZ Philatelic Federation has agreed that gemstone awards (diamond, ruby, emerald, sapphire, topaz) for all philatelic and postcard exhibits would be replaced with the medal award appropriate to the assessed points to the full range of medals for all 1-8 frame exhibits, and not just for Postcards. ie.
| Large Gold | 90-100 |
| Gold | 85-89 |
| Large Vermeil | 80-84 |
| Vermeil | 75-79 |
| Large Silver | 70-74 |
| Silver | 65-69 |
| Silver-Bronze | 60-64 |
| Bronze | 55-59 |
Medals would continue to be noted as “Postcard medals.”
The exceptions will be non-philatelic exhibits (such as trade cards, cigarette cards or banknotes), and adult development 8 pages and youth development classes. First-time exhibitors will receive the Len Jury Medal. The medals to be awarded for postcard exhibits that would previously have received a gemstone award will be inscribed ‘postcard.’
Gemstone awards remain appropriate for exhibits or displays that are not in a national exhibition.eg, inter-club one-frame competition, regional exhibitions.
Australia has 5 medal levels – Gold, Vermeil, Silver, Silver-Bronze and Bronze. This is likely to be reviewed in the near future.
Neither NZ nor Australia really have anywhere specific where judges can award marks for card knowledge in circumstances where the exhibit is largely or entirely of cards of one type (eg silks) or by one photographer, or of one type (eg FGR real photos).
The wording on the critique sheet has been amended to Knowledge and Research – Cards, and Knowledge and Research – Subject
Any queries about any of these judging matters can be directed to Jeff Long at jefflong@xtra.co.nz
The first public gardens in Invercargill were situated near the centre of the town in what were known as the Otepuni Gardens, with the Otepuni Stream running through the centre. The Council offered a prize of ₤20 for the most suitable layout and it was won by James Morton,a local florist. The gardens soon became locally known as the Puni Gardens.
Botanical Gardens, Invercargill. Photographer: Unknown. Publisher: William Nees Otepuni Gardens with the Otepuni Stream behind the border on the right.
As the gardens developed they included a rock garden of native plants, a heated conservatory, a very fine herbaceous border and a collection of Australian Eucalyptus trees. A bandstand and ornamental bridges over the Otepuni Stream were other features. These gardens often featured in postcards and many cards entitled them ‘Botanical Gardens, Invercargill’. Roses must have been one of the features of the Puni Gardens, but there does not seem to be any records of them.
When Invercargill was surveyed by John Thompson Turnbull in 1857, he made provision for ample public reserves, and allowed for a large park of 200 acres to the north of the developing town. This was Gazetted on 22nd of June 1869 and called Victoria Park after the Empire’s Queen. On 25th January 1882 it was transferred from the Crown to the Borough of Invercargill, who then resolved to change the name from Victoria Park to Queens Park.
Gradually the public horticultural efforts of the Council transferred from the Puni Gardens to the much grander setting of Queens Park. Sometime between 1914 and 1917 a decision was made to construct a garden devoted to the cultivation of Hybrid Tea Roses that were popular at that time. A long formal drive between lines of trees and running the full length of the reserve, had been constructed in 1911, right through the centre of Queens Park. This new boulevard was named ‘Coronation Avenue, (George V) and the new Rose Garden was sited to one side of this avenue.
The new garden was constructed in a classic horseshoe shape. There were fine gravel paths round the perimeter and down through the centre of the garden. Between, there were grass paths with wooden pergolas. It is said that there were 1,800 shrub roses planted, with a further 120 climbing varieties trained over the pergolas.
The garden designer was Henry Edginton, Superintendant of Invercargill Reserves from 1893 to 1920. He came from Oxfordshire, England, trained at two London nurseries and was Head Gardener at two large gardens before coming to New Zealand. He had also had 17 years at an Invercargill commercial nursery before being appointed to the Invercargill Public Gardens. The Cyclopedia of New Zealand describes his title as ‘Curator of the Invercargill Public Gardens.’
The garden was a success from the start. It soon became the most popular venue for wedding photos and that pattern remains to this day.
In 1934 a sundial and small circular garden were situated in the centre of the rose garden and in 1988 the wooden pergolas were replaced with brick pillars. Other than that, the garden remains unaltered since it was constructed.
Three Tanner Bros postcards appear to show the official opening of both the Rose Garden and the Rhododendron Dell in Queens Park. As the cards have nearly consecutive numbers, and two show the same little grandstand and flag pole, it would seem that the gardens were commemorated on the same day.
The Rhododendron Dell, Rose Gardens, Invercargill. hotographer: Unknown. Publisher: Tanner Bros. 2667and 2669
This appears to be almost certainly, the official opening day. Note the same grandstand.
In the Rose Gardens, Invercargill. Photographer: Unknown. Publisher: Tanner Bros. 2666. Two boys in Southland Boy’s High School uniforms watch the photographer
Roses do well in Southland. The long cold winters give the plants good resting time. When summer comes, the flowering season may not be as long as further north, but it is intense. There is an abundance of blooms with particularly strong colour and outstanding fragrance.
In 1989 it was decided to complement the hybrid tea roses in the Henry Edginton Rose Garden with a collection of old fashioned shrub roses. Not far from the old rose garden, the newer rose garden of 2.5 ha was designed by Phillipa (Cocks) Reid under the supervision of Parks Manager L J Metcalf. It was made possible by a bequest from the late Jessie Calder and was named after her.
Set in a formal pattern the Jessie Calder Rose Garden has over 400 varieties of old roses. The main classes are Damask, Gallicas, Centifolias and Albas, but these can be further sub-divided into another 16 groups. Acknowledgement of an exceptionally good garden was made in December 2005 when the New Zealand Heritage Rose Society declared the Jessie Calder Rose Garden, Queens Park, Invercargill, a “Garden of National Significance”
The two gardens make up a very extensive collection of old and modern roses. They are a great enhancement to Queens Park and the City of Invercargill. The citizens can be well proud of the two rose gardens.
Acknowledgements to:
Invercargill City Parks Department.
Centenary of Invercargill Municipality 1871 – 1971
Cyclopedia of New Zealand Vol IV. Otago & Southland
A while ago I purchased a card which was definitely New Zealand because of the style of houses and Nikau palms, with no information except the words “ANZAC DAY APRIL 1924” on the back. One day, when researching something completely unrelated, I saw a modern photo of the Gisborne War Memorial, and recognised the distinct design.
Although the surroundings looked different it was definitely the same memorial. Once I had identified it I looked for further information and found it had an interesting background.
The local newspaper in 1919 was the first to suggest a war memorial for the area, as Anzac celebrations in New Zealand, which were becoming more prominent, encouraged the establishment of permanent memorials for communities to pay tribute to the dead of World War One.
The design and construction plans were proposed by borough councillors Mr. C.E. Edwards, the District Engineer, and Mr H.G. Kells. After much discussion it was decided that a memorial in the form of a cenotaph, modelled after the Whitehall Cenotaph by Edward Luytens, would be built. It was designed by architect Edward Armstrong (son of C.E. Edwards) and placed opposite the junction of Esplanade Rd and Rawiri St on the western bank of the Turanganui River.
Messrs Kane and Griffen were contracted to assemble the monument. The cenotaph has jarrah-piled foundations, a reinforced concrete base, and a concrete shaft faced with Carrara marble. The marble blocks are butt-jointed and backed with concrete. The lions and soldier are marble, and were carved overseas and shipped to Gisborne. The monument consists of a base supporting a statue with bronze tablets bearing the names of the fallen men recessed in the centre on each side, with four reclining lions at each corner of the base. The pillar has crosses carved in relief on opposite sides. Above is the statue of a soldier in ‘reversed arms stance’ in memory of the 561 men from the area who lost their lives during the war.
It was unveiled by Col. C.W. Melville on Anzac Day 1923, the eighth anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli. The cenotaph was greatly admired and influenced other war memorials in the region. It has since been the site of Anzac Day parades and services.
On Anzac Day 1995 an addition of four more bronze tablets to the Cenotaph was unveiled. These matched the originals, and bear the names of those from the Gisborne area killed in World War Two and other overseas campaigns.
Tourist Department Postcard No 5585. On reverse the card reads; “Mowbray Series Scenic and Historic Views”
The monument is registered under the Historic Places Act 1980 as a significant example of community recognition of the sacrifice of New Zealand servicemen during the 1914-18 War.
On 20th December 2007 a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Gisborne and the Cenotaph suffered significant damage. Strengthening and repairs were completed in 2012.
The area has been landscaped over the years and is now a much photographed scene as shown in later postcards.
Tourist Department Postcard No. 5584 Real Photo
Readers might be interested in two postcard variations that take pride of place in my card collection.
1. Collectors of WWI postcards will be familiar with Tuck’s “Victory and Freedom Series No.2357” showing a New Zealand soldier (illustrated below, although the flag is incorrect as it should have red stars). Tuck’s have made a mistake with the back printings. The second type has the back for the Australian soldier. What I don’t know, is how long it was before Tuck’s (or the printers) realised their mistake and how many were printed with the correct back?
Above centre: “New Zealand” caption; Right: “Australia” caption
2. Tobacco Fund Postcard
During WWI, a “Weekly Dispatch” Tobacco Fund was established. There was actually two types of postcard printed showing the same illustration by Bert Thomas, printed at Aldershot by Gale & Polden Ltd (see bottom left illustration).
The first type (with brown back – opposite illustration) was distributed with every sixpence donated to the fund.
The second type has a green back (bottom right illustration) with details of all the high profile individuals involved with the scheme. ‘Every shilling provides a 2/9 gift parcel for a man in the fighting line; viz:-
¼ lb tobacco; 50 cigarettes. A box of matches and a postcard addressed to the donor. ’
This postcard (bottom right) was posted to Mr McIntosh, c/o Hallensteins, Dunedin, NZ. The stamp used is known as a “perfin” – meaning the stamp has punched out letters (by a machine) of the company or organisation who sent it (sort of advertising). In this case the letters form three initials – M L D
