James Fitzgerald

James Fitzgerald

Canterbury Society of Arts, Annual Exhibition, Catalogue 1928, 

  Christchurch Art Gallery

The New Stamp Issue
To the Editor of The Press

Sir,- Are all Englishmen as atrabilious as our friend who criticises New Zealanders and their stamps in your issue of Saturday last? And must we be everlastingly singing "God Save the King" in order to attest our loyalty? 

½d - Fantail. 

 The halfpenny stamp for which I was responsible is not merely a drawing of a bird but a design as well, and if a design has no merit as a pattern then it is not a good design. The pattern is not destroyed by placing the design in any position, and in any case a designer may surely take it for granted that people can read. 

4d - Mitre Peak.

"Englishman" may be gratified to notice that I have placed the Imperial crown in a prominent position in my design for the fourpenny stamp, but New Zealand should not be accused of aggressive nationalism merely because she lays claim to some small individuality of her own. Nor are New Zealanders bound to conform to any type dictated to them by others, either in their art or in any other direction. —Yours, etc., JAS. FITZGERALD. May 4, 1935.

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21465, 6 May 1935, Page 18