Pretorius v Dietrich 1872 : klinkende munt of papiergeld?
Date
2015-04
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LitNet
Abstract
Daar was geen amptelike hofverslae in die Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) voor 1877 nie. Hierdie bydrae gee ’n rare blik op ’n regsdispuut wat uit die vroeë 1870’s dateer. Die feite van die dispuut is afgelei uit verwante argivale bronne, aangesien die oorspronklike hofdokumentasie nie gevind kon word nie. Pretorius het ’n eis ingestel teen Dietrich op grond van ’n skuldbewys. Dietrich het daarop die uitstaande bedrag in papiergeld betaal. Weens die destydse depresiasie van die papiergeld, het Pretorius egter aangedring op betaling in klinkende munt. Dietrich het appèl aangeteken teen die vereiste betaalmiddel en verskeie regeringsbeamptes by die dispuut betrek. Ten einde die konteks van die dispuut te verstaan, word ’n kort beskrywing van die ekonomiese omstandighede van die ZAR gegee met spesifieke klem op die verskeie uitgiftes van papiergeld. Daarna word die feite van die dispuut chronologies uiteengesit en die betrokkenheid van die regeringsamptenare verduidelik. Die bydrae kyk in die besonder na drie knelpunte wat uit die dispuut na vore gekom het, naamlik die onafhanklikheid van die regbank, die destydse regsposisie ten aansien van die betaling van skuld in ’n sekere betaalmiddel, en die relevansie van sekere gemeneregbronverwysings waarop die verweerder gesteun het.
Ever since establishing its independence, the South African Republic (ZAR) had been plagued by financial difficulties. From 1866 the British pound sterling was accepted as the country’s currency, and due to the lack of its own coinage, between 1865 and 1870 the ZAR issued paper money, initially as a temporary measure – it would later be replaced by coins. The accumulation of debt and repeated issuing of printed money led to the devaluation of this currency and it was no longer readily accepted as payment. It was within this context that the dispute between Pretorius and Dietrich took place. This article focuses on a number of issues that arose from a court action brought against Johann Moritz Dietrich by Willem Francois Pretorius in the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court in 1871.
Ever since establishing its independence, the South African Republic (ZAR) had been plagued by financial difficulties. From 1866 the British pound sterling was accepted as the country’s currency, and due to the lack of its own coinage, between 1865 and 1870 the ZAR issued paper money, initially as a temporary measure – it would later be replaced by coins. The accumulation of debt and repeated issuing of printed money led to the devaluation of this currency and it was no longer readily accepted as payment. It was within this context that the dispute between Pretorius and Dietrich took place. This article focuses on a number of issues that arose from a court action brought against Johann Moritz Dietrich by Willem Francois Pretorius in the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court in 1871.
Description
CITATION: Wildenboer, L. & Dietrich, K. 2015. Pretorius v Dietrich 1872 : klinkende munt of papiergeld? LitNet Akademies, 12(1):291-317.
The original publication is available from http://www.litnet.co.za
The original publication is available from http://www.litnet.co.za
Keywords
Money, Economic history -- South Africa, South African Republic, Law -- South Africa -- History
Citation
Wildenboer, L. & Dietrich, K. 2015. Pretorius v Dietrich 1872 : klinkende munt of papiergeld? LitNet Akademies, 12(1):291-317.