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Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1927, Page 2

As a means to the restoration of Let ter times and a more assured future

thrift must take a in-oininont place in Hu' <lailv practice of the people. One of the effects of higher wages has certainly been "a good time,'’ for these with the ready money to enjoy it. The people have become more pleasure loving and there is a. creator volume of expenditure on “luxuries.” Thrift did not find such an important place as it should in the daily round. There was a lack of effort, on the part of the lwoplo in a. general way to prepare for the rainy day which came alone. Probably under the restricted conditions to-day, profile are more disposed to he thrifty. It is well that it should ho so, for it is not too late to practise that virtue. As a means to cultivate ideas of thrift, there is a very worthy effort and experiment in the Auckland district, where the Auckland Ravings Bank has a savings scheme, organised throughout the Auckland Education District. The action of the Bank is appreciated greatly as the results arc showing. The first, year’s trial of the .schools’ hanking system in Auckland has been most successful. To-day there arc 4G schools taking part in the movement, there arc G.'fOO depositors, and the sum of over £OOOO has Teen hanked by the children, the average being Cl per child. The scheme has gone very well indeed,” said one of the officials of the Auckland SavingBank when reviewing the progress of the children’s hanking year. Tts success was attributed to the headmasters and teachers, who had taken a kindly interest ill the scheme, and to the co-operation of the parents. The hank's system is to (ollect the money the same day as the children make the weekly deposits and the small pass hooks that the children have are familiar to most Auckland parents. The idea is to give the children a definite ha,bit of regular saving and the result expected is that in due course they will he fully Hedged depositors. As an

Indication of the steady progress of tl'.e juvenile fund, it might he mentioned that on April Ist. last the total of deposits was £3160, and four months later the total was £SBOO. Tn iho ■same four months' period only £BB was withdrawn, the reason being, in many cases, that parents had shifted to another district where the schools’ hank sv.sem wa.s not in operation. This i.s very pleasing reading, and it would lie well if the practice to save could become more general throughout the Dominion. During the war period the Government had a useful scheme to attract savings, with the certificates which were issued, and no doubt many ■ people found the benefit of the savings when the certificates came to maturity. Something of a. like character is being ’propounded in the Finance Dili now lvefore Parliament through the Past Office Savings Bank, ft is to he welcomed, assisting as it will in the direction of more thift among the people.