Fiji Currency
p. 42 · Read in the full issue
Shortage Still Severe
THE Commissioners of Currency in Fiji have done everything in their power to increase supplies of currency in the Colony, but there is stiU a serious shortage—especially of coin. Causes have been: urgent work in the Royal Mint, transport difficulties, a decision of the Royal Mint not to make any more copper coins (and so save 800 tons of copper per annum) and the presence of large num bers of Servicemen in Fiji.
The increase in the note and coinage issues in the Colony has been immense— but it still does not meet the demand.
Here are the circulation figures for the past 10 years, as on December 31 in each year:—
Other measures taken to increase the wartime circulation are: — (a) Over-printed New Zealand £1 and £5 notes have been issued. (b) Over-printed New Zealand 107notes, which are held in reserve. (c) During 1942, with the assistance of the Australian and New Zealand Gov ernments, all United Kingdom coin held by banks throughout the Dominions was collected, shipped to the Colony, and proclaimed legal tender and issued. Some of this coin was collected from as far away as Perth. (d) New Zealand and Australian coins are in circulation; and (c) Shilling and two shilling notes were printed locally and penny notes were obtained from Australia. The Com mission cannot print further shilling or two shilling notes locally as there is no suitable paper available.
News has been received by Mrs. D.
Mac Adam, formerly of Rabaul, that her husband, Corporal E. G. Mac Adam, NGVR, and a well-known accountant of Rabaul, has been officially posted as missing. Nothing has been heard from Mr. Mac Adam since the invasion of New Britain in January, 1942, but information through native channels led to his being unofficially described as “believed safe.”
News recently has reached us of the death, on August 16, 1942, of Pilot-Officer Godfrey Rees-Jones. Before the war, he was in the service of the Colonial Sugar Refining Co., at Labasa, Fiji, and he joined the RAAP in June, 1940. He won his “wings” at Amberley, Queensland, be fore being posted to England. He was captain of a Lancaster bomber when he lost his life in operations over Germany.
He leaves a wife, at present living in Newcastle, NSW.
Notes.
Coins, £ £ 1934 506.800 38,000 1936 597,800 73,000 1938 656,000 83,500 1940 668,000 78,400 1942 1,331,000 169,800 1943* . . 1,433,000 218,300 * September 30.