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Hokitika Guardian, 15 June 1926, Page 2

Bank, the strangest institution financially of its kind in the Dominion. The Bank has had for some years a “penny section” in its operations, and there was a period when it required four tellers to deal with the department, but for various reasons the deposits declined and a staff much smaller now suffices. The Bank to encourage thrift among the young proposes to open a school section on the lines adopted in Australia, and has approached the Education Board with a request for permission to do so. Under the scheme each child who desires to become a depositor will have a pass hook, and on certain days, known as “thrift days,” the scholar will hand his savings to the teacher, who will enter them up in a pass book card and copy the details on to a pad. The teacher would probably deal with the whole class in about a quarter of an hour. Children are then placed on the same footing as ordinary depositors in the Bank. The matter is now l>cfore the Teachers’ Institute for decision, ns the co-operation of the teachers is highly necessary. The childrens’ section in regard to thrift is a very important one indeed in the creation of the Savings Bank spirit. No doubt the experience in Auckland is not different to that of other places, namely that the growth of all forms of amusement lias boon responsible for undermining the ideas of the thrift move once in vogue. The penny postage stamp system once in practice by the Government Savings Bank was first inaugurated through the schools, but it has died out. So, too, very largely, has the children’s penny savings bank, operated through the same banking institution. It appears lo bo a wise step to revive interest inflivenile thrift through the channels refereed to, and to seek in particular to get the young into the habit of saving. This is likely to be a loan year m many respects, and it would be a good time to bring borne to the public mind something of the virtues of thrift so that such occasions might bo met with a more satisfied mien. To enlist the sympathy and support of the young is of outstanding necessity.

Tun morning paper at Greyniouth is still worrying about the utilisation of assets of 'Westland, and inter alia, in respect to the provision of hydro-elec-tric power considers “there is a much better scheme (than tlie Kumara water races) right in the centre of The area they (the Westland Power Board) wish to reticulate.” Presumably this refers to Toarolia river. If so, the answer is in the policy of the Grey Power Board contained in the last line of criticism of Westland’s policy. The newspaper admits the Grey Power Board is in an “unenviable position,” and that seems to be exactly why the Westland Power Board is steering clear of similar financial trouble. The Board is moving circumspectly, but unlike the legendary .11 ip Van Winkle the Argus refers to, the Westland Power Board may have been somnolent for a term, but it lias been doing quite the light thing in the right way. and at the right time it may l’.e expected to do exactly what is best- in the interests of the ratepayers, without any fear of creating as the Grey Board has done—an “unenviable position.” Comparatively. the Westland position is quite enviable, and it will bo the task of the local Board, no doubt, to maintain that comfortable state of affairs.