BANK NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 17792, 14 October 1921, Page 1

BANK NOTES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—The Kuggerlion that the New Zealand 1 banks should unify their note issue, following the system obtaining in the Bank of England, where thcro La only one issue, and notes on being returned arc all destroyed, would if adopted greatly lesson the danger of spreading disease in Cho community until a better is formulated. Ou cashing a cheque the other day at the bank I received ten single notes, all of which had been from three to six years in circulation. Ono dated 1911 had been Urn years, and looked it. I remarked to the bank official on their disreputable comiiliou. lie replied : " Oh, fhoße are not bad! They aro all whole, aren’t iheyt I have to handle thousand'; worse than thnse.” I asked him if he used anything. “ Oh, yes,” he replied, with a look: of grim satisfaction. " I uso something! fiiiriv strong, but not just hero.” If Ihe history of some of ihese bank notes could bo recorded it would make interesting reading. There is no place too high or habitation 100 low where a bank iicfo cannot find an entrance. As long as its taco value i« fairly clear, its garments may bo grimy, smelly, and Union with loathsome gcptlK, it is always a welcome visitor, often deeply rcgretleil at parting. Hospital mi rises (Uid others whose duty it is to relievo diseasestricken patients of their belongings find it iinrd to deal with.money taken from their pockets, which ban to be taken special caro of. In con vernation with a. nurse she said: “We can fix tin; coins, but bant notes aro a, pi'oblom. The most effective way to disinfect them is to cremate them.” I win venture to say that if the currency had bom debased by clipping, sweating, or counleneHing to any e.uunt, some reform would linvo been brought about by Una time; hut that would have been tiro busijHifo of the banks. If it is not expedient* for them to honor a “ promise to pay on. demand ” in gold, we have the right to 0.,v . Tiu'l a cloan bank nolv.—l am, etc., Oci-obor 12. JIVCIJU®.