Those of us who are in the habit of paying small accounts by means of postal orders would like to know if it is the intention of the postal authorities permanently to discontinue the issue of most of the familiar amounts containing the odd sixpence. The other day I wanted a postal order for 11s. 6d., and, having applied at the local post office. I received one for 11s. with three 2d. stamps attached. As the remittance was eventually sent to England I do not know how they managed to deal with the stamps, the Post Office Guide stating that the sender of a postal order payable in Saorstat Eireann or elsewhere may increase its value by not more than 5d.
As a result of this greatly impoverished issue I have not infrequently found that my poundage costs have been considerably increased, and quite a number of people now pay small accounts by cheque in spite of the request of bankers generally not to draw cheques for less than one pound sterling.
The present issue of postal orders being overcrowded with printed matter (making it almost impossible to decipher the payee's name in most cases) would be much more useful if designed less elaborately, and the printer's ink thus saved might enable the "powers that be" to reconsider the matter of a wider range of amounts.
The Irish Times, January 13th, 1929.
