Six South Pacific
p. 19 · Read in the full issue
Territories To "Go
Decimal” Soon
About 160 million notes in Australia’s new decimal currency will be ready for issue by Austra
lian banks by February 14, when
the new currency will become legal tender side by side with the exist
ing currency.
THE Governor of Australia’s Reserve Bank, Dr. H, C. Coombs, said this in Sydney on January 10, when the new notes (Si, $2, S10 and $20) were given a special Press preview.
The new notes, together with new decimal coins of 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, and 50c denominations will go into circula tion in all places where Australian cur rency is used.
These include six territories in the South Pacific—Papua-New Guinea, Nauru, Norfolk Island, the British Solomon Islands Protectorate, the New Hebrides and the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony.
The new $1 note, equivalent to 10/-, measures about 5J in. by 2| in. Its basic colour is brown. On the front is a portrait of the Queen in the regalia of the Order of the Garter, and the coat of arms of the Commonwealth of Aus tralia, and on the back is a motif of Aboriginal bark and rock paintings and carvings.
Wool Industry
The $2 (£1) note is basically green and measures about 5J in. by 2 i in.
The front carries a portrait of John Macarthur, founder of the Australian wool industry, and an illustration of a Merino ram. On the back is a portrait of William Farrer, a pioneer in scientific wheat breeding, plus different varieties of wheat ears.
The $10 (£5) note is mainly blue and measures about 6i in. by 3re in. A portrait of Francis Howard Green way, the convict who became Australia’s first fully-qualified architect, is on the front.
On the back is Henry Lawson, the poet and short story writer.
The $20 (£10) carries portraits of the aviation pioneers. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith (front) and Lawrence Hargrave (back). Its basic colour is red and it measures about 6i in. by 3i in.
About 160 million notes of the £sd currencv are now in circulation in Aus tralia. These will be withdrawn over about the next two years. • The illustrations on this page depict the front sides of two of the new notes.