§ 17. Mr. BUTCHERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention had been called to the amount of gold which is being paid over the counter by banks and post-offices and in shops throughout the country; and whether, in view of the importance of keeping as large a reserve of gold as possible in the Bank of England, he will take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to limit these payments of gold and to substitute for them payment in notes?
§ Mr. ACLANDDefinite instructions have been given to all post-offices not to pay out gold coin, and my right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General will be glad to have his attention called to any specific cases in which these instructions are being infringed. If there are any cases in which branch banks are continuing to pay out gold coin, the attention of the head office of the Bank concerned should be drawn to them.