Currency Troubles in Fiji

Printing Own

Pennies

IT is a remarkable and interesting fact that, wherever large bodies of troops have been gathered together, the currency of the civil population among which they are established becomes inadequate for trading purposes.

In Fiji, the position is really acute.

Ordinarily. Fiji has £l, 10/- and 5/- notes and the usual coins—2/-, 1/-, 6d., 3d., and copper coins. But, during recent months, coins in Fiji have proved com pletely inadequate, and the Government has issued much additional coinage, besides printing and issuing 2/- and 1 notes.

But even these measures have not overcome the problem: and the following article from a recent issue of the “Fiji

Times” will give some indication of the straits to which traders have been driven.

“The action now being taken by private concerns in printing tokens which re present one penny in their stores, reflects the inability shown by Government to appreciate the needs of trade and com merce.

“Apart from the serious aspect of the currency shortage from the trader’s view point, there is some humour in a situation which apparently has got out of Govern ment control to the extent that people are now printing their own currency, or rather pieces of cardboard which, in the place where they are issued, represents money.

If the practice becomes general a rather amusing situation will develop.

“We can imagine a citizen proceeding about his shopping with pockets full of tokens from various stores, and attempt ing to work out his tokens in buying this at one place and that at another. He may even be compelled to go out on the street and accost passers-by in an en deavour to swap one Morris, Hedstrom, Ltd., for one Burns Philp (South Sea), Pty., Ltd., at par.

“Bad as the token system is, it is not so annoying as the Post Office practice of giving half-penny stamps in change, and which are more or less useless.

“Unless the Government can see some relief forthcoming, it should issue its own paper pennies immediately, and, also, paper sixpences. They will be a terrible nuisance, but not so great a nuisance as being without this unit of currency.

“The paper shilling and the two shill ing note have worked reasonably well, particularly if one takes the trouble to improvise a small note case in which to carry them.”

The Governor of Fiji has confirmed the appointment of Mr. R. A. Derrick, as principal of the Technical School, Suva.

Pastor F. Noack, formerly with the Lutheran Mission in New Guinea, is at present a member of the Lutheran Ministry in South Australia.

Mr. F. C. Exon, manager of Amalga mated Wireless, Suva, became involved in a traffic accident on July 31, when the car he was driving came into collision with a truck. His car was badly dam aged, but Mr. Exon was thrown clear and was unhurt.