OVERSEAS PASSENGERS' READY MONEY

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 123, 25 May 1920, Page 8

OVERSEAS PASSENGERS' READY MONEY

There may still be some uncertainty in the minds of persons intending to take passages abroad as to the amount of ready money which they are permitted to take out of the country. The regulations, however, are clear and to the point. No person may take any gold or silver from New Zealand without permission from the Minister of Finance. In the case of Chinese a standing. permit ; has been issued.to allow them to take a sum not exceeding £5 in gold and silver, this provision being made in order that the difficulties of issuing permits to each Chinaman, who is generally unable to read or. write English, may be obviated. This provision is not strictly an exemption, though it amounts to that in effect. All Europeans found to be attempting to take gold or silver from the Dominion without permission, and Chinamen with more than £5 in their possession without special permission, are liable to lose their money by confiscation. Each passenger is examined by the police and Customs officials prior to departure for overseas- ports, and frequently breaches of the regulations are discovered. Two passengers, a Greek and a Chinaman, were found to have £98 and £7 respectively in their possession just prior to the departure of theMoeraki on Friday evening. Paper money may be taken from the country, but the majority of passengers send their money to their destinations by drafts.