Ping: Malcolm. The "plenty manure" postmark.

Malcolm, Sir.
just a nudge to have you aware of the scarce New Zealand Postmark
in your postmark searchings.
"Tutaenui"....the story....


PLENTY MANURE

Back in the days of the pioneers, when men were men and women were glad of
it, it seems to have been the custom of some communities to adopt the local
Maori name for new townships, and occasionally to change them to a European
title later.

The first adventurous band of individuals who arrived at the future site of
Marton in the mid-1850's were content to accept the Maori name of Tutaenui
for the town which was to become the centre of the Rangitikei. But the
families which came after them must have been more genteel and were
undoubtedly offended by "Tutaenui" as a name for the simple reason that the
Maori word means (to put it nicely) "plenty manure".

By 1868 arguments waxed fiercely about changing the name, and various
suggested names were bandied about for months. Finally, a public meeting was
held in 1869, at which the firm decision was made to adopt the name of
"Marton".

The decisive factor in favour of "Marton" was that 1869 was the 100th
anniversary of the arrival of Captain Cook in New Zealand in 1769. Captain
Cook's home town was Marton, in Yorkshire, and since many early Rangitikei
settlers came from Yorkshire the choice was fairly logical.

First post office officials in Marton were the Henderson family, who
conducted the town's first flour mill from 1864.

Naturally, any letter postmarked "Tutaenui" is a rarity, and it seems there
is at least one in existence, sold a few years ago by a stamp dealer. The
Marton Historical Society, which is at present preparing for the town's
centenary, is anxious to trace the owners of any envelopes with the
"Tutaenui" postmark. Anyone with knowledge of such postmarks is asked to
write to H. P. Melody, P.O. Box 74, Marton, N.Z.

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from "The Mail Coach", the bulletin of the Postal History Society of New
Zealand, 1973

The first adventurous band of individuals who arrived at the future site of
Marton in the mid-1850's ...

Marton Historical Society, which is at present preparing for the town's
centenary,....

.....from "The Mail Coach", the bulletin of the Postal History Society of New
Zealand, 1973

1973? - Plenty prevarication it would seem in Maron.

Very sharp observation Gazza.
I do not have the magazine on hand to check.
"Stamp news" would have dug it out as an interest piece no doubt.

"Gazza" wrote in message
...
The first adventurous band of individuals who arrived at the future site
of Marton in the mid-1850's ...

Marton Historical Society, which is at present preparing for the town's
centenary,....

....from "The Mail Coach", the bulletin of the Postal History Society of
New Zealand, 1973

1973? - Plenty prevarication it would seem in Maron.