At the time of this issue in 1882, the postal rate to the UK was 6d per ½oz. In 1891, it was reduced to 2½d.
Cover to the UK
The cover was posted in Taupo on 7 September 1887 and is addressed to London.
The manuscript on the front states: By Frisco Mail and so the route was by sea to San Francisco, by rail to New York and then by sea to the UK.
There is a Napier backstamp on 9 September and a red London receiving mark on 17 October. A manuscript on the front bottom left states that it was received on 17 October. It was therefore 40 days in transit.
The stamp is die 1. As the date is 1887, the stamp is on the first paper, i.e. it has a horizontal mesh and the distance between the NZ and star is 6mm.
Cover from the UK
The next cover is from the UK and is also routed via San Francisco.
It is postmarked on 30 January 1884 and backstamped at Christchurch on 13 March and so was 44 days in transit.
The stamp is SG 162, 6d on 6d which was issued in 1883.
Reduced rate
In 1891, the rate was reduced to 2½d.
This cover is postmarked 30 May 1896 and is addressed to Dublin. It has an Auckland transit mark of 2 June. The receiving mark shows that it had arrived in Dublin by July 16 and so was 44 days in transit from Auckand.
It has the reduced franking of 2½d.
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The above information is taken from The Postage Stamps of New Zealand Vol 3, published by the Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand in 1955. All scans were made by the author.