Page 3 - Microsoft Word - miniz-digest-126-129.docx

new new zealand, this & that

I do not think I need to explain why I have used the cover bottles I have in this issue. The Midwest
Show has been cancelled. Thank goodness, as the average age of those who attend would be over
70 with quite a number in their 80’s and some over 90. Some collectors are already in ‘Lockdown,
’Isolation’ or Self Isolation and many more undoubtedly will be in the future. Keep in touch with each
other and let the wider mini collector community know if any of our friends go into hospital. Or worse.

One collector in isolation is Giuseppe Savoca in Sicily, Italy. He is putting his ‘spare time’ to good
use.

I talked about label
variations in this
same column in
miNiZ125. This one
is very subtle and
very well spotted.

st
Well, things are moving fast. I wrote the above this morning (21 March) and tomorrow we were
going to be driving up to Hawkes Bay for a few days. At noon today the regulations have ratcheted
up a notch here in NZ and all non-essential travel is now seriously discouraged. We are still in a
much better position than most countries. The silver lining (as in “All Clouds have a Silver Lining”) is
that I will get miNiZ out in the next couple of days. As I recall I last used “All Clouds have a Silver
Lining” a few years ago when talking to Katy, Rosie’s daughter, when we got to Jamaica for her
wedding but she didn’t because of the Icelandic volcano. We had just booked flights up to St. Louis
for the show, which I was going to miss as it was the same weekend as the wedding. She was not
amused but, hey, seeing the bright/funny side of adversity helps you through it. Enough! Let’s get
down to the serious hobby of miniature bottle collecting.

This is a very nautical miNiZ with the second of my articles on ships and a long article from Polish
member, Piotr Taterka, on his nautical bottles. I have had Piotr’s article since January and was going
to put a ship bottle on the cover but events have overtaken me. To continue the nautical theme I
have just decided to do an article on Pirate bottles. Ooh, Arrrrr, read on me hearties…..

The allowance when going through customs into New Zealand is three bottles of spirits. Ken Chin
was told by duty free that NZ Customs is now treating each miniature as a bottle for the purpose of
your allowance! However, I had a look at the Customs website. If you only bring in 3 minis that would
be your 3 ‘containers’ you are allowed free. But you could bring in 3 x 1.125 litre bottles, get them in
free, and pay the duty on the minis – about NZ$1.53 each.

Unfortunately I have no new New Zealand bottles to show you this time, so that’s about it for now.
Except to say that many of you will be stuck at home with time on your hands so it’s time to get the
camera out, photograph some of your bottles, and write an article or better still, articles. I’m looking
forward to miNiZ127 being a bumper edition.

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