TOMMY'S TREASURY.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1917, Page 2

TOMMY'S TREASURY.

THE BUSIEST MONEY-CHANGING OFFICE IN THE WORLD;

The busiest money-changing office in the world is that at Victoria Station, London, where soldiers on leave receive English money for French. Recently all records were beaten: One day the amount changed reached £16,800, and on nearly every other day it was over £16,000. Since the opening of the office two and a half years ago more than £3,000,000 has been exchanged. Practically all this was the property of N.C.O.'s and privates. Officers change their money in the boats. When "Tommy" comes home on seven days leave he sometimes has £IOO in his pocket, and several sums have exceeded this, it is by no means uncommon for £SO or £CO to be handed over the counter. Nor is the solitary franc unknown. It realises B%d.

There have been many instances where a soldier has goins away, with his little pile of notes and coins and, after counting them carefully, has come hack to say he has been given too much. 'ln only one case has a man complained of receiving too little. He said lie pain in £BO in French notes and received only £7O in English, His name and address were taken so that, if his statement were true, the difference could be sent, to him. At the end of the day there was £lO over, and that sum was forwarded. His wife,.in acknowledging it, sent the cashier a postal order for 2s 0d as a reward.