§ Mr. FREEMANasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can arrange for the new supply of coinage to be available for issue on 1st January each year?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEIt is the recognised practice of all mints that only coins actually struck in a particular year shall bear the date of that year. This fact alone renders an issue on the 1st January impracticable. Moreover, there is no demand for silver coin by the banks in the early days of the year in view of the return from circulation at that time of the additional currency required during the Christmas season.