All issues were recess printed and perforated by De La Rue. The stamp shows Mount Cook, the highest mountain in New Zealand.
There are three frame plates: 1, 3 and 4. Sheets had 60 stamps in 10 rows of 6.
Frame plate 1
The initial issue on 1 May 1935 was on paper with a single watermark. The frame plate was numbered 1, but the centre plate was unnumbered.
The stamps were perforated 14-13x13½,
i.e. the top and bottom perforations on each stamp were perf
14 for half the length and perf 13 for the other half.
In November 1935, the stamp was issued perf 13½x14. Although it was a comb head, the corners show the characteristics of a line perf. To try and get a better print, this printing was on damp paper and the gum, which was thick and brown, was added after the sheets had been printed.
In 1936, the stamp was issued on multi watermarked paper
in the original perforation.
In all printings from plate 1, the bottom frame line is weak.
Frame plate 3
A new unnumbered centre plate and frame plate 3 (there was no plate 2) were used from November 1936. Initially the stamps were line perf 14 and then from 1938 they were comb perf 14.
By mistake, the plate number is in reverse and appears under the 5th stamp in the bottom margin instead of under the 2nd as in plate 1.
Although the new centre plate is unnumbered, it is easily distinguished from the first unnumbered centre plate as the shading lines in the sky and in the mountains are much deeper. The two centre plates are shown below.
Frame plate 4
Perf 13.75x13½
Perf 14.25x13½
Burele band
Frame plate 4 appeared in November 1942.
There are two perforations 13.75x13½ and 14.25x13½ with the first being the more common. They were used concurrently.
In perf 13.75x13½, the perforations continue into the side margins while in perf 14.25x13½ they do not.
In some printings an engine turned design in the colour of the centre plate appears in the bottom margin overlapping the figure 4.
The number 1653-2 appears in reverse under stamps 3 and 4 although it was normally cut off when the sheets were trimmed.
The 2½d was withdrawn on 30 April, 1947.
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The above information is taken from The Postage Stamps of New Zealand Vol 1, 2 and 4 published by the Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand in 1938, 1950 and 1964. All scans were made by the author.