§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he will now arrange that the public shall be supplied with postal orders bearing counterfoils, on the plan adopted in certain foreign countries and in Colonies of the British Empire, each counterfoil being marked with the number of the attached order as well as the amount and office stamp, so as to facilitate the detection in the case of theft, and relieve the transmitters of small sums from the task of noting these particulars; and, whether, if objections taken to this reform on the ground of expense, he will give an opportunity to tenderers to supply postal orders equally as good as the present ones at a reduction in cost.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN,) Worcestershire, E.The Postmaster General has not yet arrived at any final conclusion on this subject. But he is disposed to doubt whether, in existing circumstances, any appreciable advantage would be gained from the addition of counterfoils to postal orders. He will, however, continue to give attention to the matter.
§ MR. HENNIKER HEATONIs the hon. Gentleman aware that his predecessors have been considering this matter for ten years?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINI am not aware of that, but I do know that it has been under the consideration of my noble friend for some time.