COINS FOR DOMINION

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 185, 3 May 1933, Page 10

COINS FOR DOMINION

Minting of Silver in New Zealand Urged REQUEST TO GOVERNMENT The Council of the AVellington Chamber of Commerce last night decided to support the New Zealand Alanuiacturers’ Association in pressing the Government to give New Zealand firms an opportunity of tendering for the contract to mint New Zealand silver coinage. “As the Finance Act, 1932-33 (No. 2) empowers the Alinister to place the contract with the Royal Mint,” the Alanufucturers’ Association wrote, “and as a representative or salesman of the Royal Mint is expected to arrive in New Zealand shortly for the purpose of closing the deal, it is a matter of urgency if the Government is to be deterred from committing itself.” The association forwarded correspondence stating that a definite offer had been made to the Government by a reputable and substantial Nev.Zealand company, with adequate guarantees, to establish a silver mint in the Dominion, and to undertake the minting of silver coins at a definitely lower price than that quoted by the Royal Alint, which was a trading department operated for profit.

The chamber • decided unanimously to support the Alanufacturers’ Association in the matter, and a sub-commit-tee was set up to confer on the subject. Air. A. Al. Samuel, AI.P. stated in an interview yesterday that he had always supported the idea that New Zealand should mint her own silver coinage. He sincerely trusted that the Government would not have this work done overseas when it could be performed in our own country with such an enormous profit. Under the circumstances, said Air. Samuel, it would! be nothing short of iniquitous to let this contract outside the Dominion. In any case the question should he one of open tender, and in the event of a New Zealand firm not being successful the reasons should be made public.