"BURNED" MONEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 11, 14 January 1935, Page 9

"BURNED" MONEY.

BANKING MYSTERY

HOW DID SOME REAPPEAR?

CONSIGNMENT WORTH £1,750,000.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) < SYDXEY, January 8. The reappearance of Bank of Xew Zealand notes which, it was believed, had been incinerated, continues to mystify the police. A large number of notes, which were unsigned, and had been defaced by clipping two corners of each of them, was shipped from Wellington to Sydney to be destroyed. The usual careful precautions were taken, and everybody concerned seems to have assumed that the last had been heard of this fine assortment of "paper money."

But you never can tell. A few days ago Detective-Superintendent l'rior, of Sydney, was informed by the Bank of Xew Zealand authorities that a £10 note belonging to the consignment which was supposed to have "gone up in flames" two months before, had been paid into the main Auckland branch of the Bank during December. Our detectives at once started investigating, and they soon satisfied themselves that the notes were unloaded here under proper supervision, that they were carefully watched while on the way to the suburban incinerator, where they were to meet their doom, and that they* were vigilantly guarded up to the moment when they were placed in the furnace. But some of them escaped the fiery fate prepared for them, and now by some mysterious means, though scorched and dilapidated, they are now being passed from hand to hand as "real money" in Xew Zealand and Xew South Wales.

From 10/ to £100. This is from' the standpoint of commercial and financial security a very serious matter. Tlie notes, according to the list, range in value from 10/ to £100, with a great preponderance of largo denominations, and tlu- total value of the shipment was £1,700,000. If even a small fraction of this huge sum has gone into circulation, it means that a large number of innocent people may be victimised. For the absence of signatures would not arouse the suspicion of the average man unless his attention were directed to it. The slight scratching might be attributed to accident, and the loss of two of the corners would be put down to ordinary wear and tear. Some of the notes have already been found circulating in Sydney, and it is quite likely that others may come to light elsewhere.

Blown Out of Incinerator ? Tt is difficult to account for their strange reappearance, in view of the precautions usually taken in such cases to ensure complete destruction. The detectives think it possible that some of the notes may have been blown out of the incinerator by the heavy draught that their combustion would cause. There is also—in spite of the precautions —the hypothesis of theft to consider. But whatever be the solution of the mystery, people in Xew Zealand and Australia who are suddenly confronted by Bank of Xew Zealand notes— especially to the value of £20, £50, and £100 —are advised to examine them carefully before accepting them as above suspicion.