One-cent Fares Not Far Off
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FROM OUR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT DECIMAL coinage system based on the divided into 100 minor units has a recommended to the Government by tajority of the Halsbury Committee, heir report this week. Under this sys, halfpennies, pennies, threepenny :es, sixpences and half-crowns would :Wally disappear. Shillings and florins ild stay as 5and 10-cent pieces, new coins worth 1.2d. (I cent), 2.4d. cent). 4.8d. (2 cents) and 4s. (20 ts) would be introduced.
• he Committee reported that the ngeover would take three years to pare, two years to complete, and would about £100 m., rising if the decision delayed.
lanks, and many government and pri: undertakings would make the changer on an appointed " D-day ", and other messes would gradually follow suit heir machines were replaced or modi During the transition, both old and new currencies would be accepted. shops would be urged to label goods in both ways, and an official conversion table would need to be sent to all households and business premises that were in existence throughout the country_
Two members of she six-man Committee, in a:minority report, came out in. favour of a 10s. unit. Under this system, the sixpence, shilling, florin and halfcrown would be worth 5, 10, 20 and 25 cents respectively and, being simpler, the conversion would present far fewer problems.
The Government must now decide whether a change should he made and, if so, which system to adopt. The first possible time such a system could be introduced is 1967. In fact, it is likely to be much later, as the Government shows no sign of coming to an early decision on this matter.