Maori’s-Head Notes

Started Panic in Fiji

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva, Feb. 28.

WHEN the banks’ restrictions on the changing of Zealand bank notes in Fiji were announced dur ing the Fijian radio news session recently (see elsewhere this issue), the Fijian an nouncer explained the situation carefully, but he went a little too far. He said that the New Zealand notes in question were the “notes bearing a Maori head.”

This was perfectly correct, but he over looked the fact that, several years ago, a large number of New Zealand notes were overprinted to turn them into Fiji currency. They bear the words “Govern ment of Fiji—This note is legal tender in Fiji only.” The notes are still widely used throughout the Colony—and they all bear the Maori head!

The deadline for getting rid of New Zealand notes was February 26. But be fore that date masses of worried Fijians, some of them from far afield, descended on the two banks in Suva and. on the strength of the Maori head on the over printed notes, firmly and politely in formed the banks that they wanted their notes changed. The radio had been so explicit that in many cases the earnest explanations of bank officials were fruit less and the overprinted notes were ex changed for Fiji notes —though both were legal tender —for the sake of peace.