RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 220, 13 June 1933, Page 8

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights on Current Events LOCAL AND GENERAL (By Kickshaws.) “Frost,” It is reported from Auckland, "breaks pole.” Never mind, perhaps Byrd will be able to patch it up when he gets to it next spring. Judging by the estimated cost of repairs to the Golden Harvest that vessel, at any rate, shows every sign of living up~to her name. To ken this token payment idea take a token taken from Taken, Ch ma, for a token taken as a token of goodwill from Tokauui and try to raise a little ready cash on the transaction. “What are the letters on a King Edward coin, just below the head? What do they stand for? On a King George com the letters are 8.Ai.,” writes R. Foster, Palmerston North. For over a century it has been the custom to permit the designer to place his initials in the position Indicated. The “8.M.” mentioned are the initials of Bertram Mackemial, the designer in question, who died about a year ago. Various other Initials may be found on other coins of the realm. One of the original designers, Benedetto Pistrucci, who designed the St. George and the Dragon, still has his initials inserted on some coins. Another fairly common initial is "W.W.P.," particularly on Australian coins'. This stands for William Wellesley Pole. On English coins one of the commonest Initials is “De.S.” standing for the designer De Saulles. In addition to the designer’s initials there are other tiny letters often found in the same spot on some coins. For example, coins struck in Australia have marked on them a tiny “S” or “M” immediately under the designers Initials. These indicate that the coin in question was minted at Sydney or Melbourne. —Kickshaws.

If token payment becomes accepted internationally nations will be doing no more than the individuals that comprise the nations were often forced to do to the early days when currency, far from having developed into a problem, had not developed at all. After all Wellington residents to-day make token payments for their milk. Everyone who posts a letter receives a token to put on it. ' But at one time token payment was far more extensive than it is today. Tokens of brass, copper and even lead, were in use throughout the British Isles for long periods when the Stat? was indifferent to the need for legal small change. Merchants, innkeepers, employers, and corporations all issued their own tokens. These tokens went into circulation, were used in everyday business and generally were honoured by those who issued them just as the Bank of England honours its tokens—those crisp banknotes.

Some idea of how necessary was the issue of token money in England may be had from the fact that between 1807 and 1821 no copper coins were issued at all. The city of Sheffield issued £10,009 worth of 1/- and 2/6 tokens. Moreover one of the biggest issues of token money was by the overseers of the Birmingham Poof. The only reason why token payment failed was not tn account of any inherent weakness in the system itself, but on account of counterfeiting and lack of regulation as to the issue of tokens. As a matter of fact tokens were in vogue in England as far back as 1404. Some of these tokehs that have come down to us today prove that women were in business 300 years ago. For instance a certain Alice Kirton of Hammersmith issued “Her Half Peny” in 1668. Some of these tokens had amusing legends such as “Remember the Poore in Gaol.” and “Although but Brass, let Ale Pass.”

The explanation that the lost trawler Serfib owes its queer name as a result of a patriotic gesture to the six allies, Servia, England, Rumania, France, Italy and Belgium, is yet another sid light on the craze for talking in initials that was at its height in the latter days of the war. Some of these queer names such as “Anzac” are with us still. Doubtless in time they will be assimilated into the English language. Unfortunately it is only too true that usually these initial words are decidedly ugly. “Dora,” which stands for the Defence of the Realm Act, is one of the few exceptions. “Enzedders” is a glaring example in the other direction Sad to say there are to be observed distinct efforts to perpetuate this craze. The Science Congress in Sydney a year ago, not satisfied with the term Australasia, produced the ghastly word “Anzangtis” as- a substitute. .This portmanteau word is made up of the initial letters of Australia, New Zealand, Arafura Sea, New Guinea, and Tasman Sea.

Talking in initials seems to be reaching its height where large corporations and similar bodies are concerned We have the 8.8. C., the T.U.C., the G.P.0., the AI.C.C., and in London the L.G.O.C. Russia seems to have run completely amuck with her “Ogpus,” “‘Neps” and the like. Even a well known oil company now goes under the name “Socony,” being the first letters of its real name. The time will undoubtedly arrive, “if this habit is carried to its extremes, when a new language will be produced. In fact one speaker in America is reported to have said already, "The whole campaign of the Reparty (Republican Party) is compressed into the one word Pijarc (prosperity is just around the corner).” It is understood that a “Demparty” (Democratic Party) adherent interrupted the speaker with the question, “whac?" (what corner). Can it be true that this craze has arisen because in some bygone age a mother was heard to say, when visitors were present at the by no means groaning table, those mystics words, "ef aitcii bee.” »

“On Sunday last while eating a walnut,” says “A Constant Reader,” “I found something that appeared like a small metallic substance in my mouth. It turned out to be a small button. It is a puzzle how it got inside the nut. I called the attention of another person so it can be vorched for.’’ Can any reader crack this nut. Kickshaws. (Other letters have been held over for lack of space, but it is hoped to answer them In due course.) Digestion, much l‘kc Love and Wine, no trifling will brook: His conk once spoiled the dinner of an Emperor of mon: The dinner spoiled the temper of HU Alajesty and then, The Emperor made history—and no one blamed the cook. —F. J. Macßeath.