MR. BUXTONasked the Postmaster General, If he would inform the House to what extent the new postal orders are being used?
§ MR. FAWCETTIn reply to my hon. Friend, I beg to state that the new postal orders were first issued at the commencement of the present year. During the first week the number issued was 14,201. This number has steadily increased, and during the week ending on Saturday last, the number issued 1239 was 55,154, for the amount of £25,134. To show the extent to which these orders meet a demand for the means to remit small sums of money, I may mention that at the present time the number of orders being issued for 1s. is at the rate of 260,676 a-year, for 2s. at the rate of 283,660 a-year, and for 5s. at the rate of 552,864 a-year. As fears were frequently expressed, when the Bill introducing these orders was under discussion last year, that they would lead to fraud, the House may be interested to hear that not a single complaint of fraud has reached the Post Office.