Stamps of New Zealand Dependencies

The Cook Islands began issuing stamps in May 1892, when a typeset series inscribed ‘Cook Islands Federation’ was released. A year later, a pictorial series was introduced, typographed at the Government Printing Office in Wellington. The two designs portrayed Queen Makea Takau and a torea (wry-bill) in flight. The series remained in use till 1919 with frequent changes of perforation and watermark. In 1901, the Cook Islands became a New Zealand territory and the following year, separate postal administrations were established in Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Niue and Penrhyn. The stamps inscribed ‘Cook Islands’ continued to be used in Rarotonga till 1919.

Contemporary New Zealand ½ , 1 and 2 ½ d stamps overprinted ‘Penrhyn Island’ and surcharged with the equivalent values in Polynesian were introduced in 1902 and superseded the stamps of the Cook Islands. From 1920 to 1932, pictorial stamps in the Cook Islands omnibus design but inscribed ‘Penrhyn Islands’ were used. Ordinary Cook Island stamps were resumed in March 1932.

New Zealand stamps overprinted ‘Aitutaki’ were first issued in June 1902 and followed the pattern of those used in Penrhyn Island, up to August 1920, when a series of six pictorial stamps was issued for each of the four territories comprising the Cook Islands. Uniform designs, with the landing of Captain Cook, the Dance portrait of Cook and views of the islands were used, but the frames were inscribed with the appropriate territory. Aitutaki’s stamps were withdrawn in March 1932 and replaced by ordinary Cook Island issues. Aitutaki reintroduced its own stamps in 1972, using Cook Island stamps with a distinctive overprint.