Newsletter 66 – April 2014

• Mark my words;
• Awards and acknowledgements;
• Philatelic resources;
• NZ Post update;
• Club news;
• Accords;
• Notes on Traditional and Thematic collecting;
• ThemeNZ – Thematic and Open exhibiting seminar;
• Exhibitions;
• Profile – Karen Jeffrey.

Mark my words

A few words from NZPF President, Mark Benvie The new format of this NZPF newsletter is a change from the format used for the past dozen years or more. I hope this change meets with your approval. Over time, it is intended that this newsletter will provide more details as to the activities of NZPF and organised philately in NZ in general. This kind of communication between NZPF and member clubs and societies is important.

In my address to the AGM last year, I noted that I was keen for NZPF to receive constructive criticism as to how we might do things differently and better. Such comments and feedback can be sent to any of the executive committee members or to NZPF secretary Bob Gibson or to myself – all of our contact details are listed on the NZPF website. Comments or feedback that amounts to pointless criticism, and is without suggestions or ideas as to how things might be done better or differently, is unlikely to get much of a response though – for obvious reasons.

One comment that has cropped up from time to time over many years has been that NZPF is “becoming too exhibition oriented”. I don’t believe this to be true but I am very happy for someone to put forward a well-reasoned argument that convinces me otherwise!

Stamp exhibitions remain the ‘shop-window’ for organised philately in New Zealand, whether they are organised on a club, regional or national basis. Is it necessary for someone to exhibit in order to enjoy their collecting? No, of course not. But does exhibiting add a whole new dimension to collecting? Yes, absolutely. The national stamp exhibition held in different locations annually around New Zealand provide collectors a chance to get together, to see the dealers and to view interesting exhibits of many varying types. As a national body, one of the ways that NZPF strives to promote philately is to encourage clubs and societies to hold exhibitions – competitive or otherwise. Exhibiting overseas also allows New Zealanders (and NZ as a country) the opportunity to participate in the worldwide philatelic scene. Again, I totally accept that this is not something that all collectors are interested in but I genuinely believe that philately in New Zealand would be much poorer without stamp exhibitions.

I believe that some of the misunderstandings in this regard arise from a view that NZPF should function as just another kind of stamp club or society. This is a misguided view – as a national body many of NZPF’s functions and responsibilities are quite different to those of local stamp clubs and societies. This is a topic that I will discuss in the next newsletter.

I can be contacted by email anytime – [email protected]

Future contributions
While I will do my best to scan as many club newsletters as possible between editions it would be useful if clubs can highlight for me the things that they think are important or worth passing on. I can be contacted at [email protected]

Bruce Chadderton (Editor)

Awards and acknowledgements

CAS Editor’s Award 2014 presented to Alan Tunnicliffe

Each year the Canadian Aerophilatelic Society (CAS) awarded their CAS EDITOR’S AWARD for the year. This award is presented annually to a person chosen by the editor, to give the editor a “good news” story of his choice, to compensate for having to write obituaries.This year’s winner, announced in March 2014, is NZ’s own Alan Tunnicliffe.Congratulations Alan!!

 

The body of their announcement is as below:
“Alan has now edited the New Zealand Air Mail Society’s newsletter for 34 years! New Zealand Air Mail News is normally published monthly except in January, and Alan has produced over 350 issues!

The issues contain articles about historic flights, and information about current changes to New Zealand’s postal system and air mail services. This contemporary news will be a great resource for future aerophilatelists, when they try to sort out New Zealand’s mixture of government run and several privately owned postal operators.

Alan has also done a lot of other philatelic writing over the years, and played a major role in the production of the third edition of The New Zealand Airmail Catalogue.”

Philatelic resources

NZ Postmarks

Tom Lee has produced a listing of all New Zealand postmarks, excluding slogan markings and inkjets. This list was created in 1992 and is as complete as possible but is updated with any new finds as well as recently issued markings. Information on the markings is as complete as is known and includes earliest and latest usages. The list is freely available electronically as a Word document and there is also a very large PowerPoint file of the types of markings and the code (developed by Robin Startup and Tom Lee) to identify the type of marking. You really need both pieces of software to get the most out of this listing. Due to their sizes the files cannot be sent by email.

To get a copy contact: Tom Lee, North Shore Philatelic Society, PO Box 34253, Birkenhead, Auckland 0746.

NZ Post

Things continue to change at NZ Post although the business is now focusing back on its core services; mail/parcel deliveries and banking (Kiwibank). The aim is to get NZ Post to an operating position where it is sustainable in the future.

A move by the small number of major users of NZ Post mail services (who generate the majority of the mail volume) to reduce the volume of mail they produce, principally through the provision of online services, has been the main culprit in reduced mail volumes. One cannot however forget that the advent of email has also been significant in terms of reduced service demand. With this in mind efforts are being made to streamline the mail system. The efficiency initiatives include;

• Urban mail deliveries by a postie being reduced to 3 times per week (some time in the future), although with deliveries still targeted to be within 3 working days of a letter being posted (the current service standard)
• Other suggested approaches include courier services handling express services like Fastpost and Registered mail items to ensure overnight service standards can be met.
• Rural deliveries will likely remain on 6 days per week as the service providers (mainly owner operator courier drivers) deliver other services (like newspapers) which mean they will be going past each letter box anyway.
• The consolidation of the six existing mail processing centres into three (Manukau, Palmerston North & Christchurch).
• Parcel scanning self-service kiosks, that weigh and volumetrically assess the parcel to calculate the cost of delivery and provide you with the postage necessary to pay for its delivery.
• The trialling of a PostShop inside the supermarket at Greytown. This has the potential to make postal services more readily available, and possibly open for more hours than the standalone PostShop-Kiwibank shop.

However other initiatives are being made which will enhance philatelists’ enjoyment of the postal service.

• NZ Post are looking to develop some sort of stamp design for use on parcels, something that Royal Mail have embraced with the adoption of their large gold Machin-style parcel labels.
• They have recently developed a system (Youshop) that allows you to purchase online items in USA or the UK, from vendors who won’t ship them outside of those countries, and have them transhipped to a local address before shipping them to New Zealand. Effectively you pay the vendor the local (in-country) delivery rate for the parcel to the NZ Post receiving location and when it arrives there NZ Post will email you to let you know they have received it and send you an invoice for the delivery cost to NZ. You have 21 days to pay for the Youshop service which costs NZD$12.50 per parcel, plus NZD$4.75 per 500g to get it delivered from the US or UK to you. Those interested in finding out more or signing up to use the service can read all about it on www.nzpost.co.nz/tools/youshop

Postal rate changes

Out of economic necessity NZ Post have been forced to make a number of rates changes which come into effect on 1 July 2014. Most of you will be aware that the rate for a standard letter is rising from 70c to 80c however there are a number of other changes which are explained on NZ Post’s website; www.nzpost.co.nz/about-us/media-centre/changes-to-our-rates-on-1-july-2014

Club news

Combined Northland societies’ meeting

The annual event, a combined meeting of the Whangarei, Kerikeri and Kaitaia stamp clubs will take place this year on Saturday 7 June in Whangarei.

Northpex

This year’s exhibition comprised 41 entries, with a large number of first time or novice entrants. Two youth entries were part of the make-up. The judging team of Barry Scott, Don Richardson, Erica Genge and Denise Rosenfeldt were supported by local scribe, Pat Smit.

AWARDS LIST:
Grand Award: Frank Jans NZ 1940 Centennial Postage Stamp Issue
Runner-Up: Sandy Johnston Coffee
Novice: Enid Honiss Perfins of NZ Co’s & NZ High Commissioners
Club: Ron Webb Brazil Definitives 1918-1941
Most Improved: Paul Bisley Spitfire – Legend of the Skies

FIRST IN CLASS: CLASS 1: Traditional – Frank Jans Class 2: Postal History – Ted Brown Class 3: Thematic – Trevor Bevan Class 4: Open – Lindsay Chitty Class 5: Postcards – Ann Still Class 6: Modern – Garry Nicholl Class 7: Any Other Class – Bruce Tapp Class 8: Youth – Isabella Beach

This was a highly successful exhibition visitors from as far afield as Wellington and Hamilton, with solid support from across the Northland region. Monica Comrie, the secretary of the Whangarei Philatelic Society, said it was very pleasing to see so many taking the time to look at the exhibits and commenting on the huge variety of material being shown. She also expressed her thanks to Whangarei club members who contributed in many different ways to make the day a success.

Sadly, this year will be the last time that a competitive stamp exhibition is run by the Whangarei Philatelic Society. The Northpex event arose from when, two years ago, the club took over hosting the Appex event from South Auckland. While it has been enjoyable the workload is increasingly falling on fewer and fewer shoulders and they have regretfully had to withdraw supporting it past this year. In future this competition will be incorporated in the Auckland Philatelic Society’s annual two day exhibition, as a supplement to the Ambury Shield, the only other competitive exhibition outside of a national exhibition for northern region exhibitors.

North Shore

In a fit of inspired madness the North Shore club initiated a one page competition to take place on every second club night. There was some thought that club members might not embrace the idea which is widely practiced in other clubs around the country, and some trepidation on the first night it was to be held. These worries were soon allayed with 12 members supplying a total of 21 entries on the subjects of triangular stamps and rockets. The one page competition has proven not to be a one night wonder with similar numbers of entries being displayed on the next two evenings. Entries are judged by members present on the night and points awarded for placings and participation. At the end of the year the member with the most points wins the club’s One Page Trophy. Watch this space.

South Auckland’s 50th anniversary

The South Auckland club celebrate 50 years of existence with an anniversary luncheon on 5 July at the Waipuna Lodge. They have produced a CAL (design at right) to recognise this event, which will only be available to South Auckland club members and non-members who attend the luncheon. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by sending a cheque to the South Auckland Philatelic Society, PO Box 23265, Hunters Corner, Auckland 2155.Look: they take philately seriously at South Auckland, no phone number or email address is provided so you are going to have to post your cheque in an envelope. Please use stamps.

Hutt Valley

The Christmas meeting of the Hutt Valley Philatelic Society marked the end of a near 50 year relationship the society has had with the Horticultural Hall Supper Room, the venue of their meetings since 1956. Ray Garner, the society’s Patron, was invited to cut a specially prepared chocolate cake (made by Secretary Ray Richards’ wife) and several long-standing members recounted their memories of the Society’s meetings at the venue.The Society now meets at the Treadwell Street Hall, 39 Treadwell St, Naenae.The Junior Club had a particularly good year in 2013, with its members winning the PYC inter-club trophy, Louisa Slack being named PYC Junior Philatelist of the Year, and the club also successfully hosting the PYC Stamp Camp at Forest Lakes. Co-Leader of the Junior Club, Ross Gainford says it is going to be a challenge to maintain such a strong standard but one he thinks the Hutt Valley juniors are relishing in 2014.

Ray Garner, club patron, cutting celebratory “end of an era” cake

Philatelic Youth Council

The PYC’s 2014 Stamp Camp, for 10 to 16 year old collectors, is being held at the Ardmore Training Corps Campsite at Ardmore from 6-12 July. The camp is designed to educate and train young stamp collectors in the more detailed aspects of stamp collecting and exhibiting. Stamp camps have been held every year since 1966. The camp fee is $250. For further information email: [email protected]

Porirua Stamp Group

– an outreach effort by Wellington Philatelic Society
The Porirua Stamp Group is an informal group operating under the auspices of the Wellington Philatelic Society (WPS). It was set up to support WPS members in that area who did not come to evening meetings held in the centre of Wellington, probably because of transport or parking issues among other things.

The group meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 1:30pm at the Titahi Bay Community Church Hall and the meetings generally finish around 3:00pm. Attendees do not have to be a member of the WPS or any other club. Members of other clubs are welcome to attend, indeed a couple already do.

The Group provides an out-of-town, day-time alternative to the regular evening meetings held in the central city. All of our societies have a role to play in promoting the hobby and this is one way of doing it. We believe there are similar ‘outreach’ efforts being made by clubs and we would like to hear about them.

Accords

The Federation currently has an accord with the Australian Philatelic Federation where each party agrees to support the others national exhibitions with the supply of exhibits, judges and commissioners. This is done to provide additional opportunities for exhibitor and judge development but also to ensure entry numbers are sufficient to support viable exhibitions on both sides of the Tasman.

The role New Zealand has played in the development of philately in the Middle East’s Gulf States (GCC), primarily due to the efforts of Jenny and Norman Banfield, has been recognised by the members of that philatelic community and they have also sought to establish a formal accord with New Zealand. The executive have agreed to a four year trial period where exhibits and a judge/commissioner will attend the national exhibition of the other party every second year.

On a less formal nature Hong Kong have also reached out to see what could be done in a similar fashion and the Federation executive have agreed to trial over the next two years. NZPF will provide no funding toward the travel costs of the judge selected to attend the Hong Kong national although one club has indicated they may be willing to contribute toward the judge’s costs, although no formal offer has yet been received.

Notes on tradiitonal and thematic collecting

Jeff Long attended the Traditional Commission’s meeting at the Brasiliana 2013 exhibition. He provided some useful comment and some links (see below) to the keynote presentations from this seminar and a Thematics workshop he attended the following day. While these seminars and workshops tend to be aimed at judges and exhibitors the fact is that much of the guidance provided at these events is useful in assisting with the development and display of a collection and collectors are urged to have a good look at this information.
www.traditionalphilately.dk/Files/FIP_TPJS_Brasiliana_November_2013.pdf (2.63 MB pdf file)
www.fipthematicphilately.org under Seminars down the left hand side. Note the Brasiliana presentation has yet to be loaded but some good papers from a number of exhibitors are currently accessible.

ThemeNZ – Thematic and Open exhibiting seminar

Friday 23 May – Sun 25 May, Ventura Inn & Studios

This initiative, taking place in Hamilton, is intended to provide some guidance and ideas about thematic and open class collecting and exhibiting. The programme will be presented by experienced thematic and open exhibitors and judges, and facilitated so that all participants will be actively involved and contribute to the discussions. The cost is $40 per head (and you don’t have to be a member of Theme NZ to attend).

A very complete program has been developed which will occupy most of the waking hours between 8pm on Friday night and 3.30-ishpm on Sunday. Details of the event and bookings to attend can be facilitated via the Secretary of the Thematic Assoc, Bob Gibson; [email protected]

Exhibitions

Upper Hutt 2014

The exhibition committee’s financial summary showed a net profit of $9514.37 from this event. They have retained a proportion for the Upper Hutt Stamp Club but have distributed the balance to a number of Wellington region clubs and philatelic activities, as well as making contributions to the Philatelic Judges Association and the repair of exhibition frames held in the Central Districts.
The society has a few CALs remaining from their 2013 exhibition fund raising. Available at face value – 70cents (in lots of 10 CALs at $7.00) from Andrew McNiven (email: [email protected])

Baypex 2014

The Baypex 2014 Exhibition will be held in Taradale, Napier on 14 – 16 November 2014. Entries close on 30 June with entry forms available via the BAYPEX website www.baypex.org.nz

Canberra 2014 – Australian Half-national results

Mark Benvie took 67 frames to Canberra as NZ’s commissioner to this exhibition. The theme for this exhibition was the 100th anniversary of start of World War I and featured a special prize for the best military exhibit. NZ entries did very well with Lindsay Chitty winning the National Military Championship prize with one of his two Large Gold medal exhibits on the theme of British Commonwealth Prisoner of War Correspondence – Japanese Occupation of Asia. This entry also won Best New Exhibit. Lindsay’s entry, having won the NMC, was ineligible to win the Grand Prix. This was won by Daryl R Kibble’s thematic exhibit “Angels of God – our Story, and Yours!” with Stephen Chiver’s entry (Burma Postal Markings 1825 – 1903) being runner up to the Grand Prix. Other exhibitors to do well were Ross Marshall (Best Postal History) and Bruce Chadderton (Best Open).

The full list of medals for the NZ exhibits was as follows:
Lindsay Chitty (PH) British Commonwealth Prisoner of War Correspondence – Japanese Occupation of Asia, E & SE Asia, WWII 1942-45 92 LG + SP
Lindsay Chitty (PH) British Commonwealth Prisoner of War Repatriation Mail, Japanese occupation of Asia, E & SE Asia, WWII 1945-46 90 LG + SP
Stephen Chivers (PH) Burma Postal Markings 1825 – 1903 90 LG + SP
Bruce Chadderton (Open) Descent Into the Abyss 90 LG + SP
A Ross Marshall (PH) German Inland Postal Rates 1922-1923 87 G + SP
Monica Comrie (PH) Australian Civil Censorship Marks World War II 1939-1945 86 G
Len Jury (PH) Auckland Industrial, Agricultural and Mining Exhibition 1913-14 84 LV
Barry Scott (Aero) The Royal Air Force Desert Air Service 82 LV
Tony Thackery (PH) 1901, January 1: The First Day of Issue of the 1d Universal 81 LV
Barry Scott (PH) Australian World War I War Tax Postal Surcharge 1918-1920 78 V
Denise Rosenfeldt (Them) Steeped in a World of Tea 78 V
Michael Christensen (Open) Tin Can Island 76 V
Sue Vernall (Open) David Livingstone 1813-1873 76 V
Erica Genge (PH) British Military Correspondence during World War II 74 LS

Aerophilately 2014

(Bellefonte, Pensylvania USA 10 – 12 September) This exhibition (check at www.americanairmailsociety.org )has been accorded FIP recognition. All exhibit medals will have FIP status.

Stampex 2014 – Australian Half-national

(Adelaide, 10 -12 October 2014) Sue Vernall is still looking for exhibits to take to this event. This is a half national including traditional, postal stationery, youth, revenues, polar, cinderellas, literature and postcards. Entries close 30 June.

Contact Sue if you want to exhibit: [email protected]

Philakorea 2014

(Seoul, 7 – 12 August 2014) Five adult and one youth exhibit have been accepted for this event.

Malaysia

(Kuala Lumpur, 1 – 6 December 2014) Jeff Long is looking to take at least 12 youth entries to this exhibition, which was originally intended to be a World Youth Exhibition but is now doubling as the 29th Asian International Stamp Exhibition (with FIP and FIAP patronage).

Profile – Karen Jeffrey

(South Island delegate, since 2011). Karen has been collecting stamps since she was 5 years old. She joined the Canterbury Museum Junior stamp Club when she was 12 and was elected to the club committee the following year, eventually becoming club president.Karen entered her first national stamp exhibition in 1983, and was able to expand and improve her exhibit on Britsh Monarchy so she could enter it in Ausipex ’84, Stampex ’85 and ’87, Royal 100 in 1988 and the World International Youth Exhibition in Luxembourg 1988, which she also attended. She said she has appreciated all the support and advice received from many fellow collectors/exhibitors in New Zealand.

In 1984 Karen began working for Bruce Alexandre at Stirling & Co Ltd and over the 14 years she worked there she gained a lot of knowledge on stamp collecting and exhibiting.

Since a young age Karen has been involved in organised philately. In the mid-1980s her involvement in organising two stamp camps in Christchurch and Stampex ’85 led to her election as an executive member of the Philatelic Youth Council and a role in the production of PYC’s newspaper Youth Philately. She has remained involved with youth philately and the PYC, even taking youth exhibits to a Singapore exhibition.

In 1997 she became a member of the newly formed Canpex Incorporated, an organisation formed to support exhibitors and philatelic exhibitions in Canterbury and around the South Island. She was treasurer for the Canpex 2000 exhibition, secretary for Kiwipex 2006 and, in 2007, was elected chairman of Canpex Inc, a position she still holds. Karen was the NZPF co-ordinator for Timpex 2009 and is the commissioner for the South Island team entering the 2014 Australasian Challenge at Baypex in Napier.

Karen qualified as a national judge after completing her second apprenticeship at Blenpex 2012.

She says she enjoys being involved with exhibitions, her local clubs and the NZPF, an involvement she believes is most likely to continue for some time yet.

 

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