§ 21. Mr. WARDLEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the payment of wages in notes to workmen results in a great number of cases in the notes becoming soiled, and also of the fact that notes thus paid in wages are not held up, but very soon find their way back to the bank, he will urge the desirability of banks making arrangements to enable employers to pay their workers' weekly wages in gold and silver?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEIn view of the importance of maintaining the central reserves of gold at as high a level as possible, I think it important to encourage the use of currency notes instead of gold for the purposes of internal circulation. I should, therefore, hesitate to take any step which would tend to defeat this policy, and I feel confident that workers, when they realise it is in the national interest, will cheerfully accept the payment of their wages in paper money instead of in coin.
§ Mr. G. TERRELLIs it not possible to arrange for the banks to issue new notes more frequently than they do, instead of reissuing the old dirty ones?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI shall have much pleasure in looking into that matter.
§ Sir GEORGE YOUNGERIs it not merely a matter of habit as to what is used—the Scottish workmen are paid in notes?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEYes, I believe that is so; but these notes are very attractive from an artistic point of view.