§ MR. WIGGINasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether he is aware that many complaints are being made of the difficulty in obtaining small silver change; and, whether the Government will endeavour to remove the inconvenience, by ordering an increased number of shillings and sixpences to be coined?
§ MR. COURTNEYSir, I had heard nothing of any complaints of the scarcity of small change until I saw the Notice of my hon. Friend's Question. I now learn from the Governor of the Bank of England that it is true that the Bank have not been able to meet all demands for silver as usual, owing to the Mint being shut; but they have received no special complaints of a want of small silver coin. Arrangements have now been made for supplying them at once with £100,000 in silver, of which £50,000 will be in shillings and sixpences; and the difficulty will disappear when coinage is resumed at the Mint, which will be the case at an early date.