§ MR.HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he has observed that it costs more to buy 9s. 6d. worth of postal orders than a 10s. one, and to buy 19s. 6d. worth than a £1 order; and whether, to encourage the transmission of money by postal orders, and, as far as possible, without the use of stamps, 340 he will recommend the use of postal orders rising by regular gradations of sixpence from a shilling to a guinea?
THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBUEY,) PrestonIt is the fact that it costs more to buy two postal orders representing 9s. 6d. or 19s. 6d. than one postal order representing 10s. or £1; but it is not proposed to incur the expense which would be involved in issuing postal orders rising by regular gradations of 6d. from 1s. to £1, as the orders which are now issued are believed to be sufficient for all practical purposes, and are certainly popular. In 1894–95 postal orders exceeded the number of 60 millions, of the value of £23,000,000, an increase of 3½ millions in number and £1,000,000 in value over the preceding year. The hon. Member is aware that Parliament has expressly prohibited by statute the issue of postal orders above the value of £1.