THE PEOPLE’S SAVINGS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1070, 16 July 1912, Page 4

THE PEOPLE’S SAVINGS.

BANK DEPOSITORS AND THEIR OCCUPATIONS.

There are 413,472 depositors in the Post Office Savings Banks of the Dominion, and their hoardings total 1 86 16s Bd, an average per open account of ,£3B 6s 6d. It is interesting to know that the depositors are made up almost exclusively of useful people in the accepted sense of the word, and their very handsome savings are an indication of general prosperity. The occupation of all depositors have been tabulated by the Postmaster-General. Some of the principal ones are as follows : Laboureis ... 4 6 >°75 Scholars ... ••• 34.766 Spinsters ... 55.636 Farmers ... 22,390 Married women ... 80,224 Clerks H. 320 Carpenters ... 7.48* Drapers ... ... 1,838 Cooks ••• ••• 1,662 Gardeners ... 2,082 Engineers ... 3.978 Farm labourers ... 3,x08 Miners ... ... 6,899 Minors (under 7) 15.33 1 Schoolboys ... 3.944 Schoolgirls ... 1,872 Seamen 2,556 Blacksmiths ... 1,986 Grocers ... ••• 1,906

Of course, there are a tremendous number of tradesmen of the more unusual occupations in addition to shopkeepers, factory hands, and so on. There is a good deal of unconscious humour in the return. One hundred and thirtytwo persons are classed under the occupation Chinaman, and 1853 as widows. The most striking feature of the return is the number of boy and girl subscribers.