PROSPERITY SCRIP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22493, 10 August 1936, Page 10

PROSPERITY SCRIP

ISSUE IN ALBEKTA PAYMENT TO UNEMPLOYED BUSINESS MEN PROTEST By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright l Received August !», (>.MS p.m.) EDMONTON, August 8 The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce to-day appealed to the Dominion Government to stop the circulation of Mr. William Aberhart's "prosperity certificates." The Prime Minister, Mr. W. L. Mackenzie King, referred the protest to the Crown law oflicers. The Aberhart Government on Wednesday distributed '250,000 dollars' worth of the certificates all over (lie Province in payment to unemployed for work on roads. Some merchants are accepting the certificates, l)iit the majority are refusing to do so. Kaeh certificate must have a one cent Alberta (iovcrnment stamp affixed to it weekly tor 104 weeks. I hen it becomes redeemable lor one dollar. The Chamber of Commerce says the issue is illegal in that only the Dominion has authority to issue currency. It complains that the issue is creating intolerable confusion in business. Mr. Aberhart, replying to the chamber, describes it as "the mouthpiece of those who are oppressing the people." Business men predict a crisis when Alberta merchants who accept the scrip attempt to replenish their stocks from wholesale firms outside the Province, who already have declared they will not accept the scrip.