§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that a money order for £10, No. 1,404, Series No. 6, was purchased at Vineuil, St. Firmin, on the 29th September last, received in England 931W on the 3rd instant, and presented at the Ealing Broadway Post Office for payment on the 6th instant; that the payee was informed that the money had not come through, and that although repeated applications were made it was not cashed until the 20th instant, and then only for £9 17s. 8d.; whether he is aware that since the Armistice the delay in cashing these money orders has been increasing; and whether this undue delay is attributable to an inadequate staff or created to take advantage of the rate of exchange?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHThe advice of the money under referred to by the hon. Member was not received from the French office of issue in due course; and when the order was presented at the Ealing branch office, it was necessary to suspend payment and to obtain a duplicate advice from France. The duplicate was received in the Money Order Department, and dispatched to the office of payment on the 18th instant. The amount of the order was 340 francs, and the amount paid was the equivalent of this sum at the rate of conversion in force on the 2nd of October, the date on which the advice should in due course have been received in London. The proportion of money orders from France, of which the relative advices do not reach this country in due course, is very small, and does not appear to be increasing. There is no ground for the hon. Member's suggestions as regards the cause of the delay in payment. It was open to the payee to clear the order at once through a. bank; and the amount which would then have been paid would have been the equivalent of 340 francs at the rate of conversion in force on the date of presentaion by the bank.