§ MR. ELLIS GRIFFITH (Anglesey)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the name of the artist who designed the new florin coin, by whom such artist was selected, and whether after open competition or not; whether his attention has been called to the facts that the horizon slopes from left to right, that the figure of Britannia is so designed that the head and body are not in the proportion usually associated with the best representations of the female form, that there are no indications; of a second foot, and that the rim of the coin has no beading to support it; and whether he proposes to withdraw the coin from circulation, and in a subsequent issue to correct these errors.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe design for the new florin was executed by the late Mr. De Saulles, who was appointed Engraver by the Mint in 1894, There was no competition. The post of Engraver to the Mint was abolished on Mr. De Saulles's death. There is no intention at present of making a new design.
§ MR. ELLIS GRIFFITHMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if his attention has been called to the details of the design?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINMy attention has not been called to them otherwise than by the Question, and I purposely refrained from discussing a matter of taste across the floor of the House.
§ MR. ELLIS GRIFFITHWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of my Question?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINCertainly, there is no question of withdrawing the coin. I thought my answer conveyed that.