§ MR. HENNIKER HEATONI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he has observed the constant and rapid increase in the use of postal orders for remittance; whether he has been informed of the widespread irritation caused by the different, charges for commission or poundage, such as 1d. for 10s. remittance, 2d. for 9s. 6d., 1½d. for £1, and 2½d. for 19s. 6d.; whether the want of an order for a guinea for the payment of charitable and other subscriptions has been brought to his knowledge; whether he will consider the expediency of issuing a graduated series of postal orders, rising by 6d. at a time from 6d. to £1 1s. inclusive, with a charge of ½d. for an order of 5s. or less, and of 1d. for any order exceeding 5s.; whether he has received information of the effect of the rule requiring presentation of an order within three months (under a penalty) in preventing clergymen, country gentlemen, and others residing at a distance from post offices from keeping in hand a stock of postal orders for the payment of small bills; and whether, in 307 consideration of the use of the money deposited for an order, the Department will in future pay the amount without regard to date of issue, provided that such order be annually restamped at the issuing offices?
§ MR. HANBURYThe Postmaster General is aware of the constant and rapid increase in the use of postal orders for remittance. He has no knowledge of widespread irritation being caused by the inequalities in the postal order commissions, though suggestions on the subject have occasionally been made to him. It has been explained to the hon. Member on previous occasions that the inequalities are due to the fact that postal orders are issued for fixed sums, and that it requires two postal orders to transmit intermediate sums. The issue of a postal order for £1 1s. is not possible, because the present limit of 20s. was expressly fixed by Parliament. The Government do not propose to incur the expense which would be involved in issuing a graduated series of postal orders, rising by 6d. from 6d. It has been suggested to the Post-master General that the three months limit prevents persona from keeping in hand a stock of postal orders. This limit was fixed by Parliament with the object of preventing postal orders becoming paper currency. In the original Postal Order Bill the period was fixed for 12 months, and was not renewable, but in deference to the wishes of this House this period was subsequently reduced to three months, and the order was made renewable by the payment of a fresh commission. In view of this circumstance, the hon. Member's suggestion to pay postal orders without regard to date of issue cannot be adopted.