§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Postmaster General will he explain why postal orders may be purchased at any time during business hours at a post office, whereas money orders can only be obtained between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; and whether he will give directions that money orders shall be issued at any time during business hours; or, at least, that the hours of issue shall be greatly extended?
§ * THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Sir J. FERGUSSON,) Manchester, N.E.The issue of money orders is a business requiring care, and it can be entrusted only to an officer experienced in this particular branch of duty. To require the attendance of such officers during the whole time in which post offices are open would involve considerable additional cost, which would seem to be unnecessary, as there is little demand from the public for money orders after the usual hours. The sale of postal orders on the other hand requires no special skill or knowledge, nor the keeping of any special account, but is like the sale of stamps, and can be undertaken by any officer and at any hour.