CURRENCY USED BY JAPANESE

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23749, 22 September 1942, Page 4

CURRENCY USED BY JAPANESE

ISSUE IN OCCUPIED TERRITORY

SPECIMENS IN POSSESSION OF AUCKLAND RESIDENT

(P.S.S.) AUCKLAND, Sept, 21. Four denominations of Japanese invasion currency are in' the possession of an Auckland resident, Mr F. N. Kirton, who recently obtained them oh a Pacific island where they had been in use by the enemy. He also has three, denominations of coinage of unknown face value. The latter seem to be made of aluminium, or a similar nonprecious metal, and in size are equal to the New Zealand 3d, 6d, and IB pieces. Mr Kirton understood that the coins had been used by the Japanese for transactions with natives; The notes are printed on plain, poor-quality paper. They are iii 6d, Is, 10s, and £1 denominations, all these words and figures being in English lettering or numerals. The only other lettering is the words “Japanese Government" across the top centre of the notes and a small panel of Japanese printing in the bottom centre. On the righthand side of the half-shilling note is a representation of an island scene, wth coconut palms leaning over surf, and on the other note's this scene is again depicted, with a few palms runnipg up the left-hand side of the note. The printing is good. The 10s and *£l notes are the same size as New Zealand notes of the same currencies. The former is brown in colour and the £1 note is light green, ' None of the'notes carries any promise by the Japanese Government to pay on demand the sum the individual note purports to represent. They are all quite different in size, appearance, and paper from normal Japanese currency, which .enemy soldiers were also carrying on this particular island.