£25 LIMIT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 13 December 1938, Page 7

£25 LIMIT

BANK DRAFTS FOR TRAVELLERS RESTRICTION ONLY TEMPORARY I BANK MANAGERS COMMENT [United Pren Aeaociatioul I! DUNEDIN, 12th December. The Government’s recently declared . 1 policy regarding the insulation of the I Dominion has resulted in some indecision and uncertainty on the part of people who desire to visit Australia. It is stated that travellers who wished to visit the Commonwealth are restricted to a draft on Australian banks of £25. though they may obtain money orders from the post office to a total amount of £lO for four weeks. A solicitor in Dunedin who made inquiries regarding the position to-day found that he could obtain a draft for only £25, his application for an extension to £SO meeting with no sucQuestioned about the position, the manager of a local bank stated that the restrictions imposed were, according to the Government, only temporary as the Minister of Finance had explained that travellers’ requirements were still under consideration and that the | present limitation would operate only in the meantim.e There was nothing therefore, to suggest that the limit of £25 would not be extended later on to £SO or even £IOO. The Minister had also definitely stated that provision would be made for bona fide travel- ! lers. In the meantime, however, the manager continued, there were means of obtaining money. A tourist who wished to visit Australia could, if they were procurable, purchase Australian shares and then sell them when he reached the Commonwealth. There was no law to prohibit the buying and selling of this class of stock. There was also nothing to prevent a tourist leaving the country with New Zealand notes in his pockets and changing them 1 into Australian currency when he ar- , rived in the Commonwealth. There ■ might, of course, be difficulty in obtaining Australian currency, he said, but it was more than likely that some of the tourist agencies or shipping comj panies in the Commonwealth which catered for people visiting New Zea* , land would take the Dominion currency so that their tourists could ari rive in the Dominion with New Zealanc notes instead of waiting to obtain their when they reached these shores. | The manager added that the rat« of exchange between the two countries was normal at the present time sc that if a tourist could effect such ar exchange he would lose nothing by th» , transaction.