Saturday, April 2, 2011

New Zealand Health Camps and Stamps



New Zealand Health Camps for children were founded in 1919 by Dr. Elizabeth Gunn. The first camps were temporary and were for children who were malnourished or were suffering from tuberculosis. Later, permanent health camps run by the government were set up, and the reasons for sending children to the camps were more varied.

The first New Zealand Health Stamps were issued in 1929 and focused on eradicating tuberculosis. The Health Stamps are a combination of postage and a surcharge used in funding the Health Camps. During the early years, there was usually one stamp per year. Most years from 1939 to 1973 had two stamps; some years had three stamps. Children's Health Stamps are still being issued. The 2010 Children's Health stamps and covers picture butterflies.

There were three 1969 Health Stamps. Two of the 1969 Health Stamps are on this cover. One stamp commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Health Camps and their founder Dr. Elizabeth Gunn. 1969 was also the 75th anniversary of the New Zealand Cricket Council. The other two stamps had a sports theme, with cricket as the subject.


I am participating in Sunday Stamps at Viridian's Postcard Blog




11 comments:

  1. I have never heard of girls playing cricket! How wonderful. Cricket is pretty obscure and exotic here though.

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  2. I like medical/health related themes. I've seen stamp releases with surcharges here but not, I think, every year.

    For those who have a passing interest, women's cricket has been going at club level for over a century and now is an international sport. International in the same sense as men's cricket is international. :)

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  3. Malnourishment is not something I'd would have associated with New Zealand, shows how stamps can inform. Hope the children recovered to have has much fun as fast bowling girl on the cricket stamp.

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  4. Women's cricket is alive and healthy in the UK; we even beat the Aussies, I think
    Interesting theme with these stamps; loved the girls playing cricket.

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  5. Hurrah for Dr. Elizabeth Gunn, to be such an advocate for children's health.

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  6. It's amazing how a "small" project like that health camp become very important and useful. Thanks to Dr. Gunn who started it all and Thanks to you for sharing your wonderful stamps.

    Sunday Stamp

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  7. Great stamps, particularly the cricket players.

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  8. Interesting stamps with unusual theme. Thanks for sharing.
    Judy

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  9. We don't have health camps in Cambodia (or even in my home country, the Philippines). But I do know that a huge chunk of the donations from the international community to Cambodia is on children and health. I haven't encountered any Cambodian stamps with that theme yet. I hope they do, in the future :)


    Postcards Crossing

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  10. More sport, less sedentary "busywork"...:)

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  11. Women cricket is still alive in UK. Interesting article for women cricket player.
    eye lift

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