Radio Related Philately - New Zealand

 NEW ZEALAND POST between 1992 till 1995 issued a series of stamps entitled the "The Emerging Years" which highlighted developments in the country during the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Each decade featured six stamps, making a total of 24 stamps in this four-year print run. Each set showed images relevant to the decade and used the type of lettering suggestive of it. Amongst two of the decades were stamps that referred to radio programmes and broadcasting in New Zealand.

50c - Broadcasting and radio in New Zealand was born on the night of 17 November 1921 when Dr Robert Jack, Professor of Physics at Otago University, switched on a small transmitter in his Dunedin laboratory and began broadcasting music from gramophone records. The country promptly became wildly enthusiastic about the new-fangled 'wireless' that could pick up voices and music from the air, and by the end of 1927 more than 30,000 homes had radio licences. The Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand was established in 1925 with stations in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. By 1929 they were a staple in most middle class homes.

$1 - Aunty Daisy (Grace Green) was a well-known NZ radio personality of the 1940s and 1950s who was known for her cheery demeanour, hints on being a good housewife, gardening, feminine etiquette and every other conformity with mid-20th century sexist stereotypes of womanhood. She is still remembered with affection by the older generation. She had several cookbooks published as well.