Picture Post-Cards

Picture Post-Cards. 

Christchurch suffers less than any other New Zealand city in the craze for picture post-cards. This may be comforting news to many people, but when it is stated that Christchurch alone purchases weekly from 6000 to 8000 illustrated post-cards, it becomes evident that New Zealand must be a good customer to Germany and France, from which the cards are mostly imported.

Wellington demands about 12,000 weekly, and Auckland and Dunedin about 8000 each. The output from Germany in 1904 was 1,161,000,000, and the United States followed with 770,500,000, while Great Britain was third with 613,000,000.

In New Zealand the demand is chiefly for local view-cards, which undoubtedly advertise the country very effectively. The more expensive cards, such as silver and aluminum prints and enamelled surfaces, are beginning to "catch on" in the city, and a wholesale dealer with headquarters in Christchurch, is bringing out from France and Germany a large number of these better-class cards with views of Christchurch. As a show city, Christchurch scores, and the output of Christchurch viewcards is twice that of any of the other centres. 

The example of Continental firms is being followed here, and a large Christchurch establishment has taken up the post-card idea for advertising purposes. There is also a rumour that the old-fashioned Christmas card is to give way to this new invasion. The stationers look upon them with favour, as they are saleable the year round, and the profits are satisfactory, as is demonstrated by the numerous windows dressed almost wholly with the cards.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13873, 6 October 1905