Pound Sign

 Hi there

When New Zealand switched over to dollars and cents instead of British pounds-shillings-and-pence in 1967, we were told that our dollar sign would have one stroke line running from top to bottom through it, whereas the United States dollar had two strokes.

Nowadays the US have all but forsaken those two strokes for the one stroke, though I believe it's still okay there to use both.  

The first time I went to Las Vegas I got caught up in a similar Zealand vs America situation  -

Before leaving home I had booked a night-time tour around the city, but I was required to confirm it on arrival.  Via phone. The automated voice gave me several options for extension numbers at the company.  "Please press pound for confirmation of tours," said the robot.

Um. What?

Pound?  What was pound?    Was it like the old-fashioned pounds-shillings-and-pence?  Or pounds (lbs) as in a person's weight that was never now used in NZ?  I frantically searched the phone's dial pad.

                                 below:  a money pound sign, British

Zilch.  Nada.  Zero.  Nothing on the phone pad looked anything remotely like a British pound sign.

I had to ask at hotel reception what a 'pound' was.  The kind lady - hiding a smirk - pointed it out to me -

HASH - 

#   #   #   #   #   #   #

Oh, my goodness...  All New Zealand automated messages ask us to "please press hash" - # - to get through to the proper extension.  No wonder I was confused.  Same keyboard sign, not same name....

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Oh, I must tell you that the cafe (the Annexe), on the 1st floor* at Whitcoulls Lambton Quay surely has the best hot chips in Wellington.  No, the best in New Zealand.  The world?  Their caramel muffins are pretty good too.

*2nd floor, if you're American.