SILVER COINAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14143, 19 August 1909, Page 4

SILVER COINAGE.

The New Zealand Government has opened communication with the Federal Government in regard to currency, the purpose being to secure an arrangement for minting New Zealand coinage in f Australia. But now that the question is under consideration: Why should New Zealand not have a mint?" The Commonwealth has three Imperial mints—at Sydney, at Melbourne, and at Perth. This Dominion is not such a small gold producer that it could not keep an Imperial mint going, when the minting of silver is added. New Zealand has gold and silver; its auriferous output is steadily increasing; there should be no need to go to for sovereigns and still less for shillings. There should be an Imperial mint at Auckland, the port of the great goldbearing reefs, where sovereigns would be struck off from New Zealand gold and currency provided for our local requirements from New Zealand silver. And speaking of coining* it is extremely desirable that, whatever is done, no alteration

should be made in the coin values until the public has been consulted. The Australian Government is dropping the half-crown and making the florin its largest coin. Many arguments can be advanced in favour of the very old and favourite coin thus summarily abolished, and our Dominion Government should not tread thoughtlessly at the heels of the Commonwealth Government. A local mint and Dominion silver currency are much more necessary than any casual change in the values of the coins themselves.