OUR OWN COINAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 114, 17 May 1933, Page 6

OUR OWN COINAGE.

Two issues are before the committee which has been set up to report upon a coinage system for New Zealand. Firstly comes the question of design, which is of prime importance, especially in a small country. It is not sufficient that the coins in everyday use should be merely a means of exchange; they must be a national advertisement as well, and should have artistic value in high degree. A coin of striking beauty is, perhaps, as great an asset as a postage stamp of distinctive design, and offers an equal opportunity for Impressing upon tourists and visitors some symbolic feature of our national life. Italy and the Irish Free State provide New Zealand •with examples of what can be done, and their lead should convince us of the advantages to be secured by an attractive coinage system. The other issue for consideration by the special committee is the denomination of our coins. Arc these to continue the same as at present, following the British system, or should ear be given to the advocates of a decimal coinage on the pattern of Canada or France? To this question the committee should be able to give a prompt reply. Our trade relations are mainly with Britain and Australia, and it is unlikely that business and financial interests would welcome a change to the dollar and the cent, nor would tho general public look with favour on a change which drew us closer in a currency sense to Canada and the United States, at the expense of a break with a large part of the Empire. Canada has special reasons, because of her position, for preferring the dollar unit, and in our case there are equally strong reasons for holding to the system we have, with perhaps a minor change. For instance, it has been suggested that the half-crown is an unnecessary coin, which should be abolished and its place taken by an added supply of florins. As for the smaller coins, all are necessary in the interests particularly of small shopkeepers and city and suburban transport concerns. The personnel of the committee is strong on the business and banking side, but that is not everything. The member of the Numismatic Society -will no doubt give some valuable advice on the question of design, but the committee should certainly include at least one recognised representative of the world of art.