1927 N.Z. MARINE POST OFFICE "AORANGI"
ENVELOPE posted on board by Sir Heaton Rhodes to his wife back in NZ.

Backstamped at Tai Tapu 26 January, 1928.

Background to Sir Heaton Rhodes .....................

Sir Robert Heaton Rhodes KCVO, KBE, VD (27 February 1861 – 30 July 1956), usually known as Sir Heaton Rhodes, was a famous New Zealand Politician, soldier, Lawyer and public benefactor.

He joined the Reform Party and represented the Ellesmere electorate in the House of Representatives from 1899 to 1925 when he retired and was appointed to the Legislative Council (Upper House) in which he served until 1941, with a short break between 1932 and 1934.

He served as Postmaster General and Minister for Public Health, Hospitals and Tourist resorts in the cabinet from 1912 to 1915, when he was appointed Special Commissioner to Egypt, Malta and Gallipoli to report on the conditions of New Zealand troops serving there. In 1916 he moved to Europe as Commissioner of the New Zealand Red Cross.
In 1920 he returned to New Zealand and was appointed Minister of Defence. In 1922 he was also appointed as Commissioner of State Forests and held both posts until 1926. From 1926 to 1928 he was Deputy Leader of the Legislative Council and Minister without Portfolio. His wife Jessie who had always suffered poor health died in 1929.
He bred pedigree cattle at Otahuna, Taitapu near Christchurch where he also grew daffodils. A keen stamp collector, he had a large collection of New Zealand postage stamps which is now housed in the Rhodes room in the Canterbury Museum.. He was President of the Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand for many years and signed the Roll of distinguished Philatelists in 1949.