CO129-331 - Public Offices - 1905 — Page 313

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were looking forward to an indefinite period of inac-

tivity in minting operations, and they had no objec-

tion to the employment of the establishment. on this

outside work. But with the renewed need for the

coinage of rupees the circumstances have materially

changed. Two years ago, we were compelled to stop

the coinage of dollars altogether for a time, and re-

cently the Bombay mint has been working overtime in

order to cope with the demand for dollars.

2. We anticipate that the recoinage of 1,840 rupees (1.e., rupees issued in the years 1840 to 1862) which are being steadily withdrawn from circulation,

will provide work for the mints for some years to come;

and it is probable that we shall from time to time

have to undertake fresh coinage from bullion in order

to maintain the volume of the rupee currency.

It is

important that in times of pressure the outturn of rupees by the mints should not be curtailed by the ne- cessity for producing dollars, and we should be glad

to have the agreement with the Banks revised so as to

provide for this contingency.

It is true that in the

past.