Naming The Currency

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30153, 10 June 1963, Page 3

Naming The Currency

Sir, —Zeal, zed, zealous, what does it matter? The Government takes zealot.— Yours etc., J D. MACFARLANE. Parnassus, June 8, 1963.

Sir, —What’s wrong with pound® and pence? True, the new pound would be about half the value of the old pound, but that sort of thing is not an insuperable obstacle, as has been shown by France, where the new franc was many times the value of the old franc. The new penny, at 100 to the pound, would be a Little greater in value than the old penny. Whether or not the tenpenny unit is called a shilling is less important. Whatever happens let us be spared the word dollar. The proposed names “kiwi” and “zeal,” etc., are too self-conscious. We ali know pounds and pence, which in a transition period could be called “new pound” and “new penny." We would soon get used to their new value. —Yours, etc., F.D. June 9 1963.

Sir, —The dual use of the term “pound” for weight and value has always caused confusion. To use this overworked term for a New Zealand decimal unit of value of 10s would cause greater confusion If “zeal" were adopted the “Z" in front of the figures would be sufficient. If “pound” or “dollar” were used the letters “N.Z.” would be needed after the figures to distinguish from United Kingdom and Egyptian pounds and United States and other dollars. Zeal—a word of one syllable and easily pronounced—is d.stinctive of our country and rich In historical associations, and is in keeping with the ideals of a young and progressive country.—Yours, etc., ZEAL. Takapuna, June 8, 1963.