FEBRUARY 2016 71
http://www.stampandcoin.co.ukPOSTAL HISTORY1
The addressee and sender added the
words ‘AND RETURN’ for the full round-
trip flights, plus a ‘BY AIR MAIL’ label.2
The postage fee was seven-pence,
paid with two postage stamps, one
of which, the sixpenny (6d) chestnut was
perforated ‘O S’ for official use.3
The two stamps received a black
handstamp ‘SHIP MAIL ROOM /
MELBOURNE ‘ dated 4 April, 1934
before the flight.4
An oblong purple handstamp
inscribed ‘FIRST OFFICIAL AIR MAIL
/ APR 1934 / AUSTRALIA-NEW ZEALAND’
was added.5
A Handstamp was added to the
reverse in Auckland, New Zealand on
12 April, 1934, confirming arrival.6
For the return flight, another seven-
pence worth of postage was paid, as
shown by the six New Zealand stamps,
and the two round handstamps ‘KAITAIA /14 AP 34’, a town in the Far North District.7
A further purple handstamp for the
return journey was added to the front,
saying ‘TRANS-TASMAN AIR MAIL / NEW
ZEALAND / APL.1934 / AUSTRALIA’.8
In Sydney, the mail received its final
postmark, being a mechanised oval
and oblong alongside ‘SYDNEY / N.S.W.’
with date and ‘AIR MAIL / SECTION / G.P.O.’1
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